‘Like a Scene Out of a Horror Movie’: UN Report Warns of War Crimes in Sudan’s El Fasher
Paramilitary forces in Sudan unleashed “a wave of intense violence…shocking in its scale and brutality” during their final offensive to capture the besieged city of El Fasher last October, committing atrocities that amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, according to a report released on Friday by the UN human rights office, OHCHR. “Persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, calling for credible investigations and accountability for perpetrators. … The new report details widespread atrocities committed during the RSF assault on the besieged city of El Fasher in North Darfur. The RSF and allied Arab militia carried out mass killings and summary executions, sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture and ill-treatment, detention, disappearances, pillage and the use of children in hostilities. Many attacks were directed against civilians and persons hors de combat based on ethnicity or perceived affiliation. UN News
African Union Moves to Revive Sudanese Dialogue following Summit
An African Union official told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that preparations are underway to resume dialogue between Sudanese political forces and address the escalating humanitarian crisis. The African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) had indefinitely postponed Sudanese-Sudanese consultations originally scheduled for December in Djibouti. That delay was driven by deep divisions over participant selection and the overall methodology for the talks. … The AU committee tasked with the Sudanese political track continues to face internal friction. Sources point to a fragile internal structure and reports of committee members holding unauthorized meetings with various parties to the conflict in Port Sudan and Nyala. However, separate sources informed Sudan Tribune of a strategic shift in the Sudan file led by the current AU Chairperson, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye. The new approach reportedly prioritizes an immediate humanitarian truce as a precursor to a comprehensive ceasefire and the launch of an all-inclusive national dialogue. Sudan Tribune
Seven Ghanaian Traders Killed in Burkina Faso by Suspected Islamists, Ghana Says.
Seven Ghanaian tomato traders were killed when Islamist insurgents attacked the town of Titao in northern Burkina Faso on Saturday, Ghana’s interior minister has said. The victims were among a group of 18 traders who had entered Ghana’s northern neighbour to buy tomatoes when the militants stormed the town, separating men from women before opening fire, the minister told a local radio station. “They went on a shooting spree, killing almost all the males there, burning them together with the truck,” Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka said on Monday, adding that the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Three men and one woman from the group survived with injuries. The remaining seven women escaped unharmed. The minister said the dead had been buried on Monday morning in Burkina Faso, with surviving female traders attending as witnesses. Ghanaian officials were unable to reach the site because of security concerns. … Islamist militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have increased their presence in Burkina Faso in recent years as they have expanded across the Sahel region, killing thousands and displacing millions. Reuters
Nigerian Troops Repel Coordinated Islamist Attacks in Borno, Military Says
Borno, the epicentre of Nigeria’s 17-year Islamist insurgency, has seen Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters intensify attacks on both troops and civilians. The weekend’s coordinated assaults targeted Pulka, near the Cameroon border, and Mandaragirau in southern Borno, both long-contested fronts in the fight against Islamist militants. The military said the failed attacks highlight mounting pressure on the insurgents. … Military spokesperson Sani Uba said ISWAP launched a multi-pronged assault using gun trucks and motorcycles in Mandaragirau, but soldiers, who had anticipated the strike, met them with heavy fire and prevented any breach. … In the second attack, Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters pushed into a troops’ position in Pulka late Saturday, briefly breaching the perimeter and destroying accommodation and some equipment. Troops held their ground and, with reinforcements, drove the militants back, Uba said. Reuters
Nigeria Warns against Enlisting Abroad after Reports of Deaths in Ukraine
Nigeria’s foreign ministry has issued an urgent warning over what it describes as the increasing illegal recruitment of its citizens to fight in foreign conflicts. It comes after Ukrainian officials said they found the bodies of two Nigerians who they said were killed in combat last year. Nigeria has not confirmed those deaths but in a statement on Sunday, foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa revealed that “several Nigerians who have fallen victim to such unfortunate situations were deployed to combat zones after being misled and coerced into signing military service contracts”. … According to Nigerian officials, investigations and security reports indicate that some nationals were enticed with promises of well-paid employment, security work, educational opportunities or migration incentives, only to find themselves thrust into active war zones. In some cases, victims were allegedly forced to sign contracts written in foreign languages without proper legal advice, and their travel documents were confiscated upon arrival. Intermediaries are also said to arrange travel using tourist or other non-military visas. BBC
DR Congo Offers Step Towards Truce, M23 Condemns ‘Manipulation’
The DR Congo government said Friday it had accepted “the principle” of a ceasefire but its foes in the eastern conflict, the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, condemned “attempts at manipulation”. While the Congolese government gave no date for when the proposed truce would come into force, the announcement comes after mediator Angola called on the warring sides to respect a ceasefire from February 18. The resource-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been mired in relentless violence between scores of armed groups for 30 years. Angola in recent weeks has resumed its mediation efforts and released during Wednesday night a ceasefire proposal. It followed the announcement last week that the United Nations would soon send peacekeepers to the eastern DRC to help enforce any ceasefire. … The African Union, which is now steering the peace talks, appointed Togolese leader Faure Gnassingbe to lead the mediation. He, in turn, has included Angolan President Joao Lourenco in the negotiations. AFP
Turkey Dispatches Deep-sea Drilling Ship to Somalia in First Overseas Mission
Turkey sent its deep-sea drilling vessel Cagri Bey to Somalia on Sunday for what its energy minister said would be Ankara’s first offshore exploration mission outside its maritime zone. Describing the move as a “historic moment” in Turkey’s oil and gas exploration efforts, Alparslan Bayraktar said the vessel would begin drilling in April at the Curad-1 well off Somalia. … He said Cagri Bey, which recently joined Turkey’s drilling fleet, was expected to reach Somalia in about 45 days, adding that it would be escorted by three Turkish naval warships. Turkey aims to produce 500,000 barrels per day of oil or equivalent hydrocarbons by 2028, Bayraktar said, adding that Ankara expects to double that amount through discoveries and production-sharing agreements abroad. Reuters
Qatari Military Cargo Plane Lands in Mogadishu Amid Shifting Horn of Africa Alliances
A Qatari Emiri Air Force C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft landed at Aden Adde International Airport on Monday, signaling a continued buildup of military logistics in the Horn of Africa as regional tensions reshape long-standing alliances. The heavy-lift military transport aircraft arrived in the Somali capital after a multi-leg journey originating from Turkey. Flight data and local reports indicate the aircraft made stops at military facilities in Kayseri and the Turkish capital, Ankara, before departing for Somalia. While the specific contents of the cargo and the official mission objective have not been publicly disclosed by Somali or Qatari authorities, the arrival comes during a period of intensified security cooperation between Mogadishu, Doha, and Ankara. … The flight highlights a burgeoning tripartite security axis at a time when Somalia is recalibrating its foreign policy. Mogadishu has notably cooled its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while leaning more heavily on Turkish and Qatari support for institutional and military capacity building. Garowe Online
UN Human Rights Office: Migrants in Libya Subjected to Systemic Violence, Abuses
The United Nations’ Human Rights Office said on Tuesday that migrants in Libya are subjected to systematic human rights violations including killings and torture, calling for an end to interceptions and returns of migrants’ boats at sea. According to a report by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Support Mission, migrants are rounded up and abducted by criminal trafficking networks, often with ties to the Libyan authorities, and criminal networks abroad. Reuters
Italy Pledges Deeper Cooperation at Second Italy-Africa Summit
Italy pledged Friday to deepen cooperation with African countries during its second Italy-Africa summit, the first on African soil, aimed at reviewing projects started in critical sectors such as energy and infrastructure during Italy’s first phase of the Mattei Plan for Africa. The plan, launched in 2024, is aimed at promoting investment-led cooperation rather than traditional aid. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed dozens of African heads of state and governments in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and reiterated that a successful partnership would depend on Italy’s “ability to draw from African wisdom” and ensure lessons are learned. … Since it was launched two years ago, the Mattei Plan has directly involved 14 African nations and has launched or advanced around 100 projects in crucial sectors, including energy and climate transition, agriculture and food security, physical and digital infrastructure, health care, water, culture and education, training and the development of artificial intelligence, according to the Italian government. AP
Africa Leads Growth in Solar Energy as Demand Spreads beyond Traditional Markets, Report Says
Africa was the world’s fastest-growing solar market in 2025, defying a global slowdown and reshaping where the momentum in renewable energy is concentrated, according to an industry report released in late last month. The report by the Africa Solar Industry Association says the continent’s solar installed capacity expanded 17% in 2025, boosted by imports of Chinese-made solar panels. Global solar power capacity rose 23% in 2025 to 618 GW, slowing from a 44% increase in 2024. … “Africa’s growth is driven by changing policies and enabling conditions in a number of countries, “said John Van Zuylen, CEO of the Africa Solar Industry Association. … Nigeria has overtaken Egypt as Africa’s second-largest importer as solar energy and battery storage provide a practical and affordable alternative to diesel generators and unreliable grid power. In Algeria, solar imports soared more than 30-fold year-on-year. Imports also surged in Zambia and Botswana. AP
Floods Wreak Havoc in Morocco Farmlands After Severe Drought
Farmers in the North African kingdom have for the past few years endured severe drought. But floods have now swamped more than 100,000 hectares of land, wiping out key crops and forcing farmers in the country’s northwest to flee with their livestock. … Morocco, where agriculture employs about a third of the working-age population, has seen seven consecutive years of drought. As of December, its dams were only around 30 percent full on average, and farmers have largely relied on rainwater for irrigation. Now their average filling rate stands at nearly 70 percent after they received about 8.8 billion cubic metres of water in the last month — compared to just 9 billion over the previous two years combined. … On Thursday, the government announced a relief plan of some $330 million to provide aid to the hardest-hit regions. A tenth of that sum was earmarked for farmers and livestock breeders. AFP