M23 Senior Rebel Official Killed by Drone Strike in Eastern Congo
Willy Ngoma, a spokesperson for the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels fighting in eastern Congo, has been killed in a drone strike, a U.N. official and a rights group said Tuesday, escalating tensions over the region’s conflict after peace negotiations stalled. Ngoma, a senior officer who was deeply involved in M23’s operations, was said to have been killed in a predawn drone strike near the North Kivu province’s mining town of Rubaya. The U.N. official and a coordinator with the rights group working in the area spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Rubaya residents told the AP that the drone strike targeted a spot that has in recent weeks served as an enclave for the M23. The decades-long conflict escalated in January 2025 after the rebels made an unprecedented advance into the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, further expanding their control of several cities and towns in the hard-hit region. … It wasn’t immediately clear who carried out the drone strike near Rubaya, which is viewed by many in Congo as a setback to peace efforts that partners hoped would bring permanent peace and prevent a regional conflict. AP
Trade and Aid to Return to South Kivu as DRC-Burundi Strategic Border Reopens
The Kavimvira crossing, a key trade route linking Uvira in South Kivu province with Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura, reopened on Monday after Congolese authorities reasserted control of the area. Operations will resume from 5am to 5pm daily. An official ceremony, in the presence of Congolese and Burundian representatives, will be held on Tuesday. The Kavimvira post was closed in December after the Rwanda-backed M23 seized the town of Uvira in eastern DRC, giving it control of the land border with Burundi and cutting off the DRC from military support from its neighbour. Congolese authorities say the threat has been “significantly reduced” following the withdrawal of rebel forces from Uvira on 18 January. The reopening revives a key trade route for cross-border trade. According to the South Kivu governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, the land and lake borders with Burundi account for nearly 50 per cent of the provincial economy. They form a strategic corridor for goods arriving from ports in the Indian Ocean, notably Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, which transit through Burundi before supplying the Grand Kivu region. RFI
UN Security Council Sanctions Four RSF Commanders over Sudan Conflict
The United Nations Security Council’s Sudan sanctions committee on Tuesday added four senior leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to its sanctions list, following a proposal by the United States, Britain and France. The proposal, submitted on February 17, sought to include the four commanders under the sanctions regime established by Resolution 1591. The measures include travel bans and asset freezes aimed at curbing the ongoing violence in Sudan. Among those designated is Abdel Rahim Hamdan Daglo, the deputy leader of the RSF and brother of the group’s commander, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemetti” Daglo. The sanctions also target Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, the RSF commander for North Darfur, and Al-Fateh Abdallah Idris, a brigadier general known as Abu Lulu. Tijani Ibrahim Musa Mohamed, a field commander known as Al Zeir Salem, was also listed. … Tuesday’s additions follow the listing of other senior RSF figures. On November 8, 2024, the committee sanctioned Osman Mohamed Hamid, the RSF head of operations, and Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla, the group’s commander in West Darfur. Sudan Tribune
Drones Hammer Sudan’s Gold and Oil Zone – the Pivotal New Front Line
Intensified drone attacks on the new front line of Sudan’s civil war have led to mass civilian casualties in recent weeks and are increasingly shaping the course of the conflict. The epicentre of the fighting has shifted to the south-central Kordofan region since both sides consolidated their gains in the other main battlefields of this nearly three-year war. … Greater Kordofan comprises three states and serves as a vital axis linking the western Darfur region, controlled by the RSF, to the capital, Khartoum, in the eastern Nile Valley, now in army hands. … [The war] began to intensify in Kordofan, a strategic area rich in gold and oil, once the SAF regained control of Khartoum last year. The south-central region became the main battlefield after the RSF consolidated its hold of Darfur by capturing the city of el-Fasher in October. Securing territorial control over the Kordofan states would put the RSF in a position to seize back Sudan’s central corridor. … The paramilitaries have been using drones from early in the war to overcome the army’s air dominance. They are widely reported to deploy Chinese long-range CH-95 drones that are supplied by the United Arab Emirates, which the UAE denies. Sudan’s military uses drones from Baykar, Turkey’s largest defence contractor. Its supply is believed to have been buttressed over the last year by advanced Akinci combat models. BBC
Guinea Confirms Detention of 16 Sierra Leonean Soldiers
Guinea’s military confirmed the detention of 16 Sierra Leonean soldiers after accusing them of crossing the border and raising their flag on Guinean soil. The two West African countries have been involved in a border dispute for more than two decades, stemming from the Sierra Leonean Civil War between 1991 and 2002. Sierra Leone’s government had invited Guinea to help defend its eastern borders during the war, but the Guinean troops didn’t completely withdraw after the war. The Guinean Ministry of National Defense said in a statement, issued late Tuesday, the soldiers entered the district of Koudaya in Faranah, a border region in Guinea, without authorization, where they“set up a tent and raised their national flag”. Guinean authorities also seized their equipment and supplies. The Sierra Leonean authorities earlier Tuesday said several members of a security unit, including an officer, had been apprehended while making bricks for a border post in Kalieyereh in the district of Falaba on Monday. Last year, the Guinean military entered a mineral-rich border town in Sierra Leone, reigniting the tension. AP
Presidency Confirms Egbetokun’s Exit, Disu’s Appointment as Nigeria’s Police Chief
The presidency has released the statement below confirming the exit of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported the exit of Mr Egbetokun, who sources said was asked to resign by the president at a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday. In a statement on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the resignation but said it was for “pressing family considerations.” Mr Onanuga also confirmed the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu as acting police chief, saying the president will seek to confirm him as IGP. … “In view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect,” [Onanuga said in a statement.] Premium Times
Somaliland Pins Hopes on Critical Mineral Gold Rush
Officials in the breakaway territory of northern Somalia say there is an abundance of critical minerals in its ground, and potentially billions of barrels of oil, and they hope that Israel’s move to recognise Somaliland’s independence in December could unlock an influx of investment. … In addition to lithium, Somaliland is rich in tantalum and niobium — critical minerals for electronics — as well as gold, copper, and emeralds, according to the ministry, though quantities have yet to be verified. Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as “Irro”, has openly considered granting Israel privileged access to its minerals in recent weeks. … Oil is another big hope. … US firms, including Chevron and Conoco, had begun exploring the region decades ago, but withdrew in 1989 during Somaliland’s civil war against the Somali federal government. Two companies, Britain’s Genel and Taiwan’s CPC, are scheduled to drill the first exploratory well in the first quarter of 2027, the government says. … Studies have shown Somaliland could have between one and nine billion barrels of oil. AFP
Zimbabwe Bans Exports of All Raw Minerals and Lithium Concentrates, Cites Malpractices
Zimbabwe has suspended exports of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect, its mines ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, after the government alleged malpractices and leakages. The ministry said the ban on exports would remain in place until further notice and applied to all minerals currently in transit. … In a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday and addressed to Zimbabwe’s Chamber of Mines, which represents major mining companies, the mines ministry said it would realign export processes due to concern about “continued malpractices during the exportation of minerals”. … Zimbabwe’s ban on lithium concentrates was previously expected to come into effect in 2027 as part of a push for more local processing. Africa’s top producer of the battery mineral exported 1.128 million metric tons of lithium-bearing spodumene concentrate in the year ended December 2025, up 11% from the year before. The southern African country has rapidly expanded spodumene output in recent years following significant investment by Chinese mining firms. … Most of the concentrate is exported to China for further processing into battery-grade materials, but Zimbabwe has been pressing the miners to process more of the minerals in the country as it seeks greater benefits from the global shift to cleaner sources of energy. Reuters
Zambia, France Strengthen Cooperation in Mining Sector
The Zambian government has welcomed the continued engagement and renewed commitment from France to deepen cooperation in the mining sector, describing the partnership as critical to strengthening regulatory systems and unlocking new investment opportunities. Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hapenga Kabeta, said the government remained committed to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships that promoted sustainable development, economic diversification and shared prosperity. He made the remarks when he received a high-level French delegation led by French Ambassador to Zambia, Thomas Rossignol, during a courtesy call at his office in Lusaka on Tuesday. … The French delegation also expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities in Zambia’s manganese sub-sector, citing its potential to support the global shift toward cleaner energy technologies. According to the Ministry, the renewed collaboration is expected to contribute to the fight against illegal mining, enhance transparency, and promote sustainable growth in the mining sector. Zambia Monitor
South Africa Secures Release of 11 Nationals Lured to Russia to Fight against Ukraine
A group of 11 South African men allegedly lured to fight alongside Russian soldiers in the war against Ukraine are expected to return home soon, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday. It will bring to 15 the number of South African nationals to have returned after four men arrived in Johannesburg last week following months fighting on the front lines in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They were allegedly deceived into traveling to Russia under the pretense that they would receive security training. Two other South Africans remain in Russia, with one in hospital and the other being processed before planned travel home, according to Ramaphosa, who said the repatriations have been facilitated through diplomatic channels following a commitment by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin earlier this month. … At least three people are being investigated in connection with the men’s recruitment to Russia, including Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma. AP
Over 600 Kenyans Trapped in Cambodia Trafficking Case
Hundreds of Kenyan nationals stranded in Cambodia have turned to the courts in Nairobi, asking judges to force the government to secure their return after what they describe as a human trafficking ordeal disguised as overseas employment. In a case filed at the High Court, the group says they travelled to Southeast Asia after being promised legitimate jobs, only to find themselves confined in a heavily guarded compound. According to the legal documents, the site was ring-fenced with high walls and barbed wire, and movement was tightly controlled. The petitioners allege they were made to work punishing hours, sometimes up to 16 hours a day, under intense pressure to meet strict targets. Some reported physical abuse and untreated injuries, including stab wounds. The filings do not confirm the exact nature of the work but note that authorities across Cambodia have recently been dismantling facilities linked to online fraud networks, which have expanded across parts of the region. The situation reportedly shifted after local security forces raided the premises, prompting those running the operation to flee. The Kenyans say they were left behind and are now sheltering in difficult conditions, without adequate food, medical care or the means to leave the country. Africanews
Pope Leo to Tour Four African Countries in First Major Overseas Trip of 2026
Pope Leo will visit four countries across Africa from April 13-23, the Vatican announced on Wednesday, with the pontiff making his first major overseas trip in 2026 to the continent where the Catholic Church is growing fastest. … In Africa, Leo will visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. He is expected to draw large crowds, urge world leaders to support development on the continent, and highlight efforts at Catholic-Muslim dialogue. Leo, elected in May to succeed the late Pope Francis as head of the 1.4-billion-member Church, has made only one overseas trip so far, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in November and December on a visit originally organised for Francis. Vatican officials and African Church leaders say the upcoming papal tour in Africa is a sign of the priority the Church places on the continent. “Pope Leo’s visit will remind the world that Africa matters and the vibrancy of the Church in Africa remains at the heart of a thriving (global) Church,” said Reverend Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, a Jesuit from Nigeria who led his order’s communities across Africa from 2017-23. About 20% of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics live on the continent, according to Vatican statistics. Reuters
France Returns Looted ‘Talking Drum’ to Côte d’Ivoire
France on Friday, February 20, handed over a “talking drum” looted by colonial troops from Côte d’Ivoire in 1916 in the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts. The Djidji Ayôkwé drum, more than three metres (10 feet) long and weighing 430 kilos (950 pounds) was used by the Ebrie tribe to transmit messages. It is one of hundreds of objects France is preparing to send back to Africa, with the efforts set to be accelerated by the passing of a new law to authorize mass repatriations. The drum is to be exhibited permanently in a new museum being built in Côte d’Ivoire’s commercial capital Abidjan. … France has been flooded with restitution demands from former colonies such as Algeria, Mali and Benin. Its national museums hold tens of thousands of artworks and other prized artefacts that were seized or purchased during the colonial era. European nations are slowly moving to return a limited number of looted artefacts in a bid to build bridges with their former colonies. Le Monde with AFP