Revitalizing Integrated Tactical Units to Combat West Africa’s Irregular Militant Groups
Irregular armed groups across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin have steadily expanded their influence by employing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), rapid mobility, and deep local knowledge. When they come under pressure, these irregular forces have gained the freedom to choose when and where to strike by dispersing, regrouping, and sustaining themselves through coerced local support to retain the initiative. … Government forces, by contrast, often rely on conventional, reactive, and poorly coordinated operations, leaving many militaries unable to contain or defeat these groups as their territorial reach grows. … Transforming the ability of African security forces to counter irregular threats requires a fundamental redesign of tactical formations and the operational systems that support them. The experiences of forces in Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger demonstrate that success against insurgent groups hinges not only on munitions and manpower but also on force structures, [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] integration, mobility, and troop sustainment. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Ethiopia Builds Secret Camp to Train Sudan RSF Fighters, Sources Say
Ethiopia is hosting a secret camp to train thousands of fighters for the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group in neighbouring Sudan, Reuters reporting has found, in the latest sign that one of the world’s deadliest conflicts is sucking in regional powers from Africa and the Middle East. The camp constitutes the first direct evidence of Ethiopia’s involvement in Sudan’s civil war, marking a potentially dangerous development that provides the RSF a substantial supply of fresh soldiers as fighting escalates in Sudan’s south. Eight sources, including a senior Ethiopian government official, said the United Arab Emirates financed the camp’s construction and provided military trainers and logistical support to the site, a view also shared in an internal note by Ethiopia’s security services and in a diplomatic cable, reviewed by Reuters. … Two Ethiopian intelligence officials and … satellite images provided information that corroborated details contained in the security memo and cable. … The images show the extent of the new development, as recently as in the past few weeks, along with construction for a drone ground control station at a nearby airport. … As of early January, 4,300 RSF fighters were undergoing military training at the site and “their logistical and military supplies are being provided by the UAE,” the note by Ethiopia’s security services seen by Reuters read. Reuters
Sudan: UN Rights Chief Says Worse Is to Come Without International Action
As the brutal Sudan war shows no signs of ending, UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Monday called on the international community to intervene immediately to stop more mass killings and other flagrant war crimes against civilians. “We can only expect worse to come” unless action is taken to halt the bloodshed, Mr. Türk told Member States at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, as he reiterated his call for the extension of an arms embargo from Darfur to include all of Sudan. … As the fighting continues away from the Darfurs in the west to the central Kordofans regions, observers fear that further grave abuses are bound to happen, including by “advanced drone weaponry systems used by both sides”, Mr. Türk warned. “In the last two weeks, the SAF and allied Joint Forces broke the sieges on Kadugli and Dilling,” the High Commissioner said. “But drone strikes by both sides continue, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths and injuries. Civilians are at risk of summary executions, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and family separation.” UN News
Malian Appeal Court Upholds Former PM Moussa Mara’s Prison Sentence
A Malian appeal court has upheld the prison sentence of former prime minister Moussa Mara, convicted over social media posts of expressing support for political prisoners. Mara, who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015, was charged last October with undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority. In July, he posted online that he had met detained political figures and promised them justice. He has been in prison since August 1. On Monday, a judge in Bamako confirmed his sentence: two years in jail, one suspended, and a 500,000 CFA franc fine. His lawyer says the legal fight is not over, vowing to appeal to Mali’s Supreme Court. Mali has been ruled by a military junta since coups in 2020 and 2021. Since then, authorities have intensified a crackdown on dissent, targeting politicians, the media, and dissolving political parties. Africanews with AP
Burkina Faso’s Parliament Approves Ban on Political Parties
Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament on Monday approved a bill banning all political parties in a move observers say allows the military junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore to consolidate control. The text, which received no opposition from lawmakers, repeals the charter of political parties and the law relating to the financing of parties, electoral campaigns and the status of the political opposition. Political party activities have been suspended in the Sahel country since the army seized power in 2022. On Thursday, the United Nations rights chief called on the Burkina Faso government to halt all repression of civic space and to overturn its plan to prohibit all political parties. In July, Burkinabe authorities enacted a restrictive new law on freedom of association and, in November, issued a new decree requiring NGOs and associations to open and maintain cash accounts exclusively with a state-run bank. Africanews
In Nigeria, a Deadly Bandit Attack Exposes Fragile Local Peace Efforts
When leaders from Doma town in Nigeria’s northern Katsina state struck a deal with local gunmen last September, everyone hoped the attacks would end and they could go back to tending their farms in peace. The agreement held, at first. Then on February 3, armed men from the same gang charged back in, survivors said, shooting as they moved house to house, killing at least 21 people and leaving the six-month truce in tatters. It is a story that locals fear could be repeated across the region. Officials from around 15 districts across Katsina – and others from three other northern states, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara – have been making similar deals with armed groups, sources told Reuters, frustrated by years of violence and failed initiatives by the central government and the army to bring law and order. The massacre in Doma, they say, shows the risks the small communities are taking as they send their own people out to negotiate with bandits and gangs of kidnappers, without the backup of the authorities in the capital. Reuters
Nigeria: Chief of Army Staff Deploys Special Forces to Plateau
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, a lieutenant general, has deployed the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion of special forces to Plateau State. This was conveyed in a statement issued on Monday by Chinonso Oteh, the spokesperson for Operation Enduring Peace, a joint task force in the state. The special forces, he said, will “aggressively and decisively” address the resurgence of terror attacks in Plateau. … Mr Sule also appealed to residents of the state not to panic on sighting large numbers of troop movements and other heavy military equipment. He thanked the residents for “their continuous support to the military”, urging them to do more by “providing actionable and timely intelligence” to aid troops’ fight against terrorists and criminals. Plateau State has been facing a years-long violence stemming from political, ethnoreligious and farmers-herders conflicts. Premium Times
Russia and Tanzania Deepen Strategic Ties in High-Level Moscow Talks
Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Monday, in the latest sign of strengthening relations between the two countries. During the meeting, Kombo delivered a letter from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring Dar es Salaam’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation. … Russia and Tanzania have steadily expanded cooperation in recent years, particularly in defence, trade and energy, as Moscow increases its diplomatic and economic footprint across Africa. … The talks come amid rising Russian engagement in East Africa, with Tanzania emerging as a key strategic partner. In June 2024, the two countries began efforts to conduct bilateral trade in their national currencies, a move aimed at reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar. Africanews and AP
Senegal Arrests 14 Members of Alleged Paedophile Gang Linked to France
Senegalese police say they have arrested 14 people and broken up a paedophile gang operating between the country and France. Those arrested, who are all Senegalese, were part of a “transnational” criminal group that has been in operation since 2017, according to a police statement. … They allegedly repeatedly forced boys to have “unprotected sex” with men who were mostly HIV-positive and filmed it. Four of the accused are said to have been acting “on the instructions” of a Frenchman arrested in France in April 2025 “in exchange for money transfers”. The 14 accused were brought before a judge on Friday following searches in several neighbourhoods in Dakar, and the city of Kaolack, 200km south-east of the capital. … The statement said the operation was conducted through cooperation between Senegal and France, with a delegation of French officers involved in the mission. The police have pledged to continue pursuing and dismantling such criminal networks and have released a toll-free number for the public to report any relevant information. BBC
From the Sky, NGO Searches for West African Migrant Boats in Distress
Every hour is crucial when searching for distressed west African migrant boats in the Atlantic, where the long route and harsh weather easily spell disaster, a nonprofit that conducts aerial surveillance told AFP during a recent mission. AFP rode along with the organisation Humanitarian Pilots Initiative (HPI) as it raced to locate several missing pirogues — long, rickety canoes — that had left The Gambia but never showed up at their final destination. … “People could be dead or dying from dehydration, heat stroke or any other conditions,” pilot Omar El Manfalouty told AFP. Migrants departing from west Africa and travelling up the Atlantic are usually trying to reach Europe via the Canary Islands off northwest Africa. … With many recent departures taking place from further south in The Gambia and Guinea, migrants are now spending longer at sea and facing more hardships. … Once HPI spots a vessel, it sends an alert for emergency response to nearby merchant ships so that they can provide immediate support. From there, Spain’s maritime safety and rescue authority, Salvamento Maritimo, takes over. AFP
2026 Mining Indaba Opens in Cape Town Under the Theme “Stronger Together”
This year’s Mining Indaba conference opened in Cape Town on Tuesday under the theme ‘Stronger Together.’ The annual event brings together leaders from government and industry to help shape the priorities of Africa’s vital mining sector. Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema gave the keynote address: “Africa must change this narrative that the IMF [International Monetary Fund] will construct a program for us in our countries. We must construct the programs and ask the IMF to support us in our programmes.” The first Mining Indaba conference took place in 1994. It’s aimed at promoting Africa’s mining sector, driving sustainable investment and fostering economic growth. Africanews
East African Nations Unite Against Illegal Fishing in Zanzibar Summit
Regional leaders and fisheries experts have sounded the alarm on illegal fishing in the South West Indian Ocean, warning that foreign industrial fleets are “plundering” local waters. At [the Blue Voices Regional Summit] in Zanzibar, officials from across East Africa vowed to crack down on unregulated fishing (IUUF), noting that enforcement gaps are currently allowing outsiders to drain coastal economies. … Delegates framed IUUF as a challenge not only to marine ecosystems but also to sovereignty, livelihoods, and economic development. … [D]elegates raised concerns over distant-water commercial fleets, particularly vessels linked to Southern and Eastern Asian interests, including some associated with Chinese companies. … Foreign fleets, participants argued, operate beyond the capacity of local monitoring, while fragmented legal frameworks across coastal states allow operators to shift activities between jurisdictions. … The summit concluded with commitments to strengthen legal coordination, harmonise prosecution frameworks, and improve information sharing among maritime and fisheries authorities. The Citizen