Islamist Militants Show ‘Unprecedented Coordination’ in Burkina Faso Attacks
Islamist militants have killed dozens of soldiers and civilians and overrun an army detachment over the past week in coordinated attacks across multiple regions of Burkina Faso, according to internal reports by two diplomatic missions reviewed by Reuters. The operations by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin show the JNIM is increasingly able to mobilise across large swathes of territory at one time, said the reports, which described a list of locations and places that came under assault. … The assaults were on several towns in the north and east including Bilanga, Titao, Tandjari and Nare, the diplomatic reports said. One also described an assault in the eastern city of Fada N’Gourma and flagged another in the northern Ouahigouya area. “These attacks, which were almost simultaneous and spread across several provinces, demonstrate unprecedented coordination between jihadists and the junta’s inability to contain the assaults,” said one of the internal reports, which put the death toll at more than 180. The other gave no toll but said the incidents appeared coordinated and involved several hundred militants serving JNIM and possibly Islamic State affiliates. Reuters
Al-Shabaab and Houthis Deepen Red Sea Alliance as Gulf Rivalries Intensify
Growing evidence suggests Al-Shabaab and Yemen’s Houthis have moved toward more systematic cooperation across the Gulf of Aden, including weapons transfers, training exchanges and financial links, according to a new report by the Mogadishu-based Saldhig Institute. … Such deepening ties between the two groups add a further layer of complexity to the Red Sea and Horn of Africa security environment, signalling a broader shift toward pragmatic cooperation that increasingly supersedes rigid ideological commitments. … The relationship is deepening just as Saudi Arabia tries to reassert itself as the key player in Red Sea security. Riyadh has pushed the United Arab Emirates to the margins in Yemen, and the two former allies now find themselves on opposite sides of a growing rivalry, backing competing actors across the Horn of Africa. … [The Saldhig Institute report] cites evidence of arms smuggling, including weapons with matching serial numbers recovered in both Somalia and Yemen. It also points to training exchanges, with Al-Shabaab operatives reportedly travelling to Yemen for instruction in explosives and drone operations, as well as financial links routed through hawala networks stretching across Yemen, Oman and Djibouti. The Africa Report
Russia Has Taken ‘Over 1,000’ Kenyans to Ukraine, Joint Intelligence Report Finds
More than 1,000 Kenyans have gone to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine, most of them tricked into signing military contracts, according to an intelligence report presented to Kenya‘s parliament. A joint investigation by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, presented in parliament on 17 February, put the number of recruits from the country at “over 1,000” – far higher than the figure of “around 200” given by authorities in December. “The Kenyans leave the country on tourist visas to join the Russian army through Istanbul, Turkiye, as well as Abu Dhabi, UAE,” Kimani Ichung’wah, parliament majority leader, told lawmakers. He said increased border enforcement at Nairobi’s airport meant recruits were also now travelling to other African countries to avoid detection. Ichung’wah explained that unlicensed recruitment agencies in Kenya were “colluding with rogue airport staff”. He said at least 39 Kenyans were hospitalised, 28 missing-in-action and 89 on the front line. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi is due to visit Moscow next month to discuss the issue, with the government condemning the use of its people “as cannon fodder”. The Africa Report with AFP
Putin Swaps Cash for Crosses in Bid for African Influence
In less than three years, the Russian Orthodox Church expanded to at least 34 countries in Africa from four, grew the number of clergy to 270 and registered 350 parishes and communities as of June 2024, the latest figures available from the church. … The Russians attracted priests with better salaries, promises of church construction and rapid promotion, according to a study by Father Evangelos Thiani, an academic and Kenyan priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. … The widening footprint of the church is symbolic of Russia’s desire to sway Africans to its cause. … “It is religious leaders in Africa who remain the most trusted and respected, with religion taking center stage in politics, elections and developmental concerns,” Father Thiani, the Kenyan priest and academic, wrote in the July 2024 paper published by Studies in World Christianity. “The use of religion for entering Africa is therefore an ideal form of Russian soft power.” … The activities of the Russian Orthodox Church have raised concerns in a number of countries outside Africa. … In Moldova, a former Soviet state with eyes on EU membership, the government has described the Moscow-linked church as a tool of Russian influence aimed at spreading propaganda and causing instability. Bloomberg
South Sudan Appoints Dead Man to Election Panel, in Sign of Political Crisis
When President Salva Kiir of South Sudan announced a panel to prepare for long-delayed elections in his country, one name stood out. Steward Sorobo Budia, an opposition politician, was one of about 70 people appointed to the panel last month. But Mr. Budia couldn’t serve on it because he had died five years earlier. The striking mistake, later corrected by embarrassed government officials, was another sign of the chaos that has enveloped South Sudan in recent months, as Mr. Kiir tries to bolster his beleaguered government while the country slides toward a new civil war. Mr. Kiir has fired or rotated numerous senior government officials over the past 18 months, some within days of their appointment. He has arrested and put on trial the country’s vice president, Riek Machar, endangering a 2018 peace deal between the two men that underpins South Sudan’s political stability. … The political crisis in the capital, Juba, has stoked fighting between government forces and Mr. Machar’s supporters in the northeast of the country, particularly in the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile. … The episode involving the deceased election official suggested he was “out of touch, relying on outdated information and a shrinking pool of trusted allies,” said Daniel Akech, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, a conflict-resolution research organization. The New York Times
Mozambique: President Chapo Appoints New Navy Commander
President Daniel Chapo on Thursday appointed Rear Admiral Bernardo Estevão Nchokomala as Commander of the Navy, according to a statement from Chapo’s office. Prior to his appointment, Bernardo Estevão Nchokomala was promoted from the rank of Commodore to his current rank of Rear Admiral. He replaces Eugénio Dias da Silva Muataca, who had held the post for 10 years, having first been appointed in 2016 and reappointed in 2021, during the presidency of Filipe Nyusi. The Mozambican Navy has increasingly been called upon to play a more active role in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, particularly in recent months, as insurgents have stepped up operations in the maritime domain, carrying out attacks on islands close to the coast as well as on coastal villages, landing by sea using fishing vessels. Mozambique Times
Nigeria: Soldiers Arrest Boko Haram Drone Supplier, Suspected Collaborators
A joint security force, including troops of Operation Hadin Kai, vigilantes and hunters, has arrested Dauba Gubula, a 64-year-old suspected terrorist collaborator and drone supplier to insurgents in the North-east region. Mr Gubula was arrested at a motor park in Madagali, one of the local government areas worst hit by Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa State, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, Sani Uba, disclosed in a statement Friday morning. Items recovered from the suspect include two aerial drones, drone accessories and 20 solar power banks. … Mr Uba said the troops also recorded other operational gains in Adamawa and Borno states. … “Officials reaffirmed that ongoing missions are part of sustained efforts to disrupt Boko Haram supply lines, restore security, and protect communities across the North-east region,” Mr Uba said. Premium Times
Nigeria Hosts G-24 Meeting on Global Finance Reforms
Nigeria on Thursday hosted the 2026 Technical Group Meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G-24) in Abuja under the theme, “Mobilising Finance to Promote Sustainable, Inclusive, and Job-Rich Economic Transformation.” The G-24 2026 meeting was jointly hosted by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The gathering brought together finance ministers, central bank governors and policymakers from developing countries to deliberate on reforms of the global financial system amid rising debt pressures, tightening fiscal space, and accelerating digital transformation. … The G-24, a coalition of developing countries within the Bretton Woods framework, advocates reforms to ensure that emerging markets and developing economies have a greater voice in global financial governance. Premium Times
Lobito Corridor: A New Line for Trade and Investment
As multi-country infrastructure projects gain momentum across Southern Africa, Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed to fast-track development of the Lobito Corridor, a strategic transport artery expected to boost regional trade, investment and economic integration. The commitment was formalised recently in Luanda during a coordination meeting comprising ministers of finance, transport, trade and infrastructure from the three countries. The meeting also drew the European Union, international financing institutions including the African Development Bank and the World Bank Group as well as bilateral partners from France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US. … The meeting endorsed four priority actions, key of which is to develop a Lobito Corridor development master plan and establish a joint investment platform to mobilise public and private capital. With more than 30 million people across the three countries, the Lobito Corridor is seen as significant, given that Zambia, Angola and the DRC are home to some of the world’s critical minerals, including copper and cobalt. Mail & Guardian
Gabonese Opposition and Businesses Angry about Social Media Ban
Opposition politicians and businesses in Gabon have reacted with anger to a decision to suspend some social media platforms. The High Authority for Communication (HAC) on Tuesday announced it was blocking access to services including Instagram and YouTube saying posts are fuelling conflict and division in the country. … But former prime minister and leading opposition figure, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze,has described the decision as “incomprehensible” and in violation of the Constitution. “These days many businesses, SMEs, young entrepreneurs, survive solely thanks to social media. It’s not just some kind of gimmick for having fun anymore,” he said. “It’s really a work tool. And for a country facing economic difficulties, where we see the budget is doing badly, it’s truly counterproductive,” Bilie-By-Nze added. He said the HAC has “absolutely no authority to make such a decision. It is disproportionate. It is an abuse that we utterly condemn”. A wide range of businesses – from restaurants to social media content creators – are also up in arms saying the ban will negatively impact their operations. Africanews with AFP
651 Arrested in Africa-wide Crackdown on Online Scam Networks
Police across 16 African countries have arrested more than 650 suspected cybercriminals and recovered over 4.3 million US dollars in a major international crackdown on online scams. The operation, led by INTERPOL and known as Operation Red Card 2.0, ran from December 2025 to the end of January 2026. It targeted criminal networks behind online investment fraud, mobile money scams and fake loan applications that have affected thousands of victims both in Africa and beyond. Investigators say the schemes are linked to more than 45 million dollars in global financial losses. During the eight-week operation, authorities identified at least 1,247 victims and seized over 2,300 electronic devices used to carry out the scams. More than 1,400 malicious websites, servers and internet addresses were also shut down. Several arrests were made in connection with high-yield investment scams that tricked victims into putting money into fake opportunities using social media platforms and messaging apps. Africanews
Zimbabwe Launches Groundbreaking HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir
Zimbabwe has become one of the first countries globally to launch a national program for lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention drug, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight to end AIDS as a public health threat. … Developed by Gilead Sciences and approved locally in November, lenacapavir is nearly 100% effective and eliminates the need for daily PrEP pills—a game-changer for those struggling with adherence. Funded by the U.S. government and The Global Fund, the initial phase targets over 46,000 high-risk individuals across 24 sites nationwide. Priority groups include adolescent girls, young women, and sex workers who face disproportionate infection rates. With 1.3 million people living with HIV, Zimbabwe carries one of Africa’s highest burdens. However, the country has achieved UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 treatment targets and reduced prevalence from 34% in the early 2000s to approximately 12% today. Africanews
War-weary Sudanese Celebrate as Ramadan Returns to Khartoum
A familiar scene returned to Khartoum as men gathered in the streets of the war-scarred Sudanese capital to break their fast on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It was here that fighting first erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. … Entire neighbourhoods had been besieged, some left in ruins, as rival fighters shot at each other across the Nile River. “Last Ramadan, there were no more than two families. Today, we are 13 families breaking the fast together, and that’s in just one street,” said Abdelkader Omar. The trader had returned home to Omdurman months after being forced to flee the city. About 400 kilometres southwest, the war grinds on in Sudan’s Kordofan region, where deadly drone strikes have left communities stranded. But even there, Muslims came together for a meal at sunset. Ahmed Balla in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, told AFP by phone he had gathered with 17 families to break his fast. AFP