Sixty Russian Agents Identified: Prigozhin’s Influence Network Taken over by the Foreign Intelligence Service
More than two years after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group and a key player in Russian [information manipulation] circles, the Kremlin’s propaganda machine has not slowed down. Rather, it has accelerated under the control of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, and spread across three continents. … [A data leak has allowed Forbidden Stories to identify more than 60 of its agents tasked with expanding Moscow’s influence campaigns across three continents. At the “Company,” a network of experts tasked with orchestrating influence campaigns on behalf of Russia], a group of “34 specialists,” sometimes referred to as “sociologists” or “political technologists,” are responsible for monitoring and analyzing the political situation in 15 countries, they write briefing notes and conduct telephone surveys with thousands of respondents — 1,133 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in June 2024, another 1,024 in Mali in August, and so on. Additional teams carry out online manipulation campaigns, in line with the Lakhta Project troll factory, which the “Company” partly initiated. … Of the 60 Russian influence agents identified, at least 17 were already working for Prigozhin. Forbidden Stories
Sudanese Army, Allies Repel RSF Attack on Border Town of Tina
The Sudanese army and its allies on Saturday repelled a large-scale attack launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the border town of Tina in North Darfur State. Tina is strategically important due to its location on the border between Sudan and Chad. Any military escalation in the area could have regional implications amid ongoing security tensions in Darfur. Military sources told Sudan Tribune that the RSF launched a surprise attack on army and Joint Force positions in Tina, initially seizing control of the area after the army and its allies withdrew into Chadian territory. The sources reported that the army and the Joint Force later launched a counter-offensive, regaining control of Tina and inflicting casualties and equipment losses on the RSF. … The sources noted that the clashes in Tina coincided with an incursion by RSF elements into Chadian territory, where they attacked a Chadian army outpost. According to the sources, the incursion resulted in the death and injury of several Chadian soldiers. Sudan Tribune
Chad Closes Border with Sudan after Clashes Kill Five Soldiers
Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan on Monday after weekend clashes linked to Sudan’s civil war killed five Chadian soldiers, two sources told Reuters. The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has periodically spilled over into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage. A Chadian official told Reuters that clashes on Saturday between the RSF and militia fighters loyal to Sudan’s government in the border town of Tine killed five soldiers and three civilians and wounded 12 people. A border guard officer in Tine confirmed the deaths of the five soldiers and said additional security measures were needed to protect civilians on the Chadian side. The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said more Chadian troops were being deployed to the area. Chad’s government said on Monday that the border would remain closed until further notice, citing “repeated incursions and violations committed by forces in Sudan’s conflict.” Reuters
South Sudan Villagers Killed after Being Lured from Homes with Promise of Aid, Witnesses Say
More than a dozen civilians were killed after being lured from their homes by fighters allied to South Sudan ’s government under the pretense of being registered for humanitarian food aid, according to two people who survived the attack. The killings took place on Saturday morning in the village of Pankor, in Ayod County, in the conflict-hit Jonglei State, about 250 miles north of the capital, Juba. Women and children were among the victims. Several dozen fighters arrived in pickup trucks and announced over a loudspeaker that they had come to register residents for food assistance, said the two survivors, who both spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation. “They gathered them in a luak” said one witness, referring to a traditional mud hut used to house cattle. “People were thinking they would get aid or some help.” The fighters then bound the hands of several men and opened fire on the group. … Photos showed bodies of women and young men, some with their hands bound behind their backs, who appear to have been shot at close range. … [James Chuol Jiek, the government-appointed county commissioner of Ayod] said the gunmen belonged to the Agwelek militia, a force drawn from the Shilluk ethnic group that has not been fully integrated into the national army but that has been deeply involved in recent military operations. AP
‘Conquest Mode’: The Jihadist Push for Nigeria’s Southern Heartland
Since Boko Haram became militarily radicalised following the 2009 killing of its founder and several members, unleashing violence on cities, rural communities, civilians and security forces, the group has made the North-East, around the Lake Chad Basin, its enduring stronghold. Although occasional attacks were recorded in the country’s North-West and across neighbouring borders, the violence largely did not extend into the North-Central zone – a long stretch of states forming the last buffer before Nigeria’s South, and a region with a bloody history of farmer-herder clashes over scarce resources. Boko Haram and its splinter factions have continued sporadic attacks in Nigeria’s North-Central region into 2026, at lower intensity than in their traditional strongholds. However, the unusually severe early February assault on Woro village [in Kwara State] has reignited fears that the group may be accelerating efforts to push further South. Analysts say Boko Haram and ISWAP have longed for an expansion into southern Nigeria, focusing on the South-West because of its relatively large Muslim population. … Kwara, a North-Central state linking the region, is viewed as a potential gateway for such an incursion. The Africa Report
Eastern DR Congo Situation ‘catastrophic’, Says Visiting EU Commissioner
EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib visited Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a regional tour urging respect for international humanitarian law, describing the situation amid ongoing fighting as “catastrophic”. The European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management ended a tour of the Great Lakes region in Goma on Friday, and called for awareness regarding the humanitarian situation in the region. It was the first time a European delegation travelled to the city of Goma since it was taken by M23/AFC rebels during a rapid offensive in January 2025. The Commissioner, visiting hospitals and talking to officials in Goma, warned that “there are increasing and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.” Lahbib met with Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa and also had a meeting with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in Kigali. In Goma, she held talks with representatives from the M23/AFC and said that there were signs that the movement wanted to go “forwards, towards dialogue, peace, towards a ceasefire”. These comments came as the M23 reportedly agreed to release prisoners it had taken from the Wazalendo militia and the Congolese armed forces. Africanews with AFP
France Denies Deploying Troops to DRC, Says Army Is Training Congolese Forces
France has denied deploying troops to the DRC after a photo appeared to show French soldiers in Kisangani. The country’s embassy in Kinshasa said the French army is involved in training Congolese armed forces – known as the FARDC – as part of a standard bilateral cooperation effort, in place since 2022. The northeastern city of Kisangani is a major hub for the Congolese military’s drone and logistics operations. The embassy said the French army’s mission is focused on training Congo’s jungle battalions and is expected to continue until the end of next month. Belgian forces are also training FARDC soldiers as part of the European Peace Facility. Last year, more than 1,000 FARDC soldiers received training from MONUSCO peacekeepers aimed at protecting civilians from armed groups in Ituri, as well as in North and South Kivu. Africanews
Africa Energy Leaders Set for High-stakes Forum on Industrialisation, Minerals
The 28th edition of the Africa Energy Forum (AEF) is scheduled to be held in Dubai in June 2026. Under the theme Building Africa’s Industrialised Future, the forum signals a decisive break from the development-speak that has long defined how the world talks about African energy. The continent, its leaders argue, now needs power on an industrial scale, the kind that runs smelters, data centres, rail corridors, desalination plants and fast-growing megacities around the clock. … Today, as global demand for critical minerals surges and artificial intelligence reshapes supply chains worldwide, the question is no longer whether Africa can power homes, but whether it can power industries. AEF 2026 is built around that question. The forum’s agenda integrates closed-door leadership dialogue, expanded focus on transmission and baseload, critical minerals and pit-to-port corridors, regional fireside conversations, and a dedicated Africa–Middle East stream. The Just Energy Transition sits at the centre of these discussions, but organisers are careful to define it on African terms. Decarbonisation, they insist, is essential, but it must also be pragmatic. For Africa, a “just” transition must protect jobs, preserve water and food security, and allow countries to pursue diversified energy mixes — gas, renewables, and storage — that reflect their national industrial ambitions rather than external prescriptions. Premium Times
Africa Holds $29.5 Trillion in Mineral Wealth, Report Finds
Africa hosts an estimated $29.5 trillion in mineral value, based on mine-site evaluations, a new report found, accounting for a fifth of global mineral wealth. About $8.6 trillion of these mineral assets remain undeveloped, according to the Africa Finance Corporation. Iron ore, gold, potash, and phosphates are the minerals whose value are the largest contributors to Africa’s undeveloped endowment. Some African countries, such as DR Congo and Zambia, host the world’s largest reserves for some of these minerals, making their development of crucial interest to global markets. AFC cites energy availability as the “single most binding constraint across Africa’s minerals sector” and called for investments in power transmission and distribution infrastructure to support mining development. Efficiently developing mineral sites is necessary for Africa’s own industrialization, infrastructure expansion, food security, and energy systems, AFC argued. Semafor
Ghana Seeks International Arbitration to Settle Maritime Dispute with Togo
Ghana has officially sought an international legal process to settle its long-standing dispute with Togo over their maritime boundary. In a statement issued on Friday, the Ghanaian government announced that it has notified Togo of its decision to seek international arbitration to resolve the dispute. It stated that it has opted to pursue arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the global legal framework governing maritime rights and responsibilities. “The Government of Ghana has served the Government of Togo with notice of its decision that the maritime boundary between Ghana and Togo be delimited by recourse to international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” it said. According to the authorities, the decision was taken to prevent further escalation of tensions arising from incidents linked to the unresolved boundary. … The disputed maritime area lies off the southern coasts of both nations in the Gulf of Guinea, a region believed to hold significant offshore oil and gas reserves. The dispute dates back to December 2017 and early 2018, when Togolese authorities stopped two Ghanaian seismic survey vessels from conducting deep‑sea oil and gas exploration. While Ghana regarded the location as its waters, Togo asserted that Ghana was operating in an area overlapping its claimed maritime zone. Premium Times
Uganda: Byanyima Rallies Women for Besigye’s Prayers at Rubaga
Eng Winnie Byanyima has rallied Ugandans, particularly women, to throng Rubaga Cathedral in droves on Monday afternoon to pray for her husband, Col (Rtd) Kizza Besigye, who remains detained at Luzira Prisons for the past 15 months. Ahead of the 2pm prayers, Eng Byanyima, a former National Resistance Movement/Army combatant along with her husband during the five-year guerilla war that ushered President Museveni into power, said they fought hard to bring women into political decision-making and public space, but such space has shrunk. … She added: “The women who participated in NRM/NRA war were mostly peasant women, not even educated, but respectful girls, young women from Luweero Triangle, who were given the opportunity to serve in both combatant and non combat roles. “Even in the NRC (the first parliament after the war), you found there a woman like Capt Zizinga who didn’t have much formal education, but was a member. So, there was respect for women’s rights, empowerment of women, and bringing them into governance.” … Eng Byanyima described Dr Besigye’s health as “being of serious concern to his family, friends and political network”. Monitor