Sudanese Group Call for Civilian-led Solution to the War Ahead of U.S.-led Talks
A prominent Sudanese political bloc has warned that plans to form a rival government risk plunging the country into a “Libya-style” conflict, and urged upcoming U.S.-led talks to prioritize a civilian-led solution to the war. In a statement released late on Sunday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–Revolutionary Democratic Current (SPLM-RDC) said the formation of a second administration alongside the Port Sudan-based government “will prolong the war.” The statement was issued ahead of a “Quadrilateral Meeting” in Washington, where the United States is expected to host officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt to discuss the Sudan crisis…The group outlined a two-phase approach for the talks, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as a first step. It insisted the second phase, a final political settlement, must ensure the “meaningful participation of democratic civilian forces” who should lead a reconstruction program that invests Sudanese resources in the country. Sudan Tribune
Sudan: Yale HRL Report Corroborates ‘RSF Massacre’ in North Kordofan
A new report by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) on Friday, corroborates accounts of the massacre by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Shaq El Noum, North Kordofan, as part of a broader campaign to encircle El Obeid. The findings, based on high-resolution satellite imagery from 13–14 July, show extensive destruction in the village and lend visual confirmation to earlier reports of the RSF assault. Local sources, including the Sudan Doctors’ Network, reported that at least 11 civilians were killed, among them children and pregnant women, though some metrics put the death toll at 200 or more, according to the HRL report. Sudan’s Emergency Lawyers stated that RSF fighters using drones and heavy weapons attacked the village, while residents tried to defend themselves with Kalashnikovs. Many victims were reportedly burned alive in their homes or shot while fleeing. RSF reportedly looted and attacked neighbouring villages, killing dozens more. Yale also corroborated signs of military damage in El Obeid, including Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) positions hit by recent fighting, as well as new burial sites and a growing number of temporary shelters likely housing displaced families. El Obeid now hosts more than 30,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), according to state sources. Dabanga
Bandits Kill Six, Abduct More than 100 in Nigeria’s Zamfara State
Gunmen killed at least six people and abducted more than 100 others, including women and children, in an attack on Kairu community in Nigeria’s northwest Zamfara state, a local lawmaker and residents said on Friday. Zamfara is the epicentre of attacks by gangs of heavily armed men, known locally as bandits, that have wreaked havoc across Nigeria’s northwest in recent years, kidnapping thousands, killing hundreds and making it unsafe to travel by road or on farms in some areas. The bandits stormed Kairu around 1040 GMT on Friday, firing indiscriminately, Abubakar Isa, a resident whose wife was abducted, told Reuters by phone. Hamisu Faru, a local lawmaker, confirmed the attack to Reuters, saying the assailants took “no fewer than 100 people, including women and children”…Another resident, Mohammed Usman, said the attackers laid siege to the town for nearly two hours before taking their captives. Thousands of residents have now fled the village, he said. Reuters
Wagner Mercenary Who Trained Russian Boxing Champion, Fought in Ukraine, Was Killed in Mali, Intelligence Source Says
Russian mercenary Igor Nesterov, who previously fought in Ukraine and coached boxing champion Alexander Povetkin, was killed in combat in Mali, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent. The source called Nesterov a war criminal and a member of Russia’s infamous Wagner company, a mercenary group that was deployed in some of the most brutal battles in Ukraine. Nesterov took part in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine from its beginning and was seen in pictures with other Russian soldiers, the source added…The intelligence source noted that the Wagner company continues to suffer losses in Mali despite claims it is leaving the West African country, where it fought alongside Malian government forces to fend off Islamist insurgents. The Wagner company, known for its deployment in Ukraine and short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin in 2023, has a strong presence across the African continent, backing Russian business interests and Moscow-friendly regimes. The mercenary group was accused of numerous atrocities during its deployment across Africa. A recent media investigation said that since 2021, Wagner mercenaries have detained, tortured, and forcibly disappeared hundreds of civilians in secret prisons across Mali. Kyiv Independent
Somalia’s President Visits Turkish Drone Technology Center Amid Security Challenges
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh made an official visit to Turkey’s Özdemir Bayraktar Technology Center, a leading facility specializing in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, which play a key role in the fight against the militant group Al-Shabaab. Accompanied by Somalia’s Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, President Hassan toured the center and received detailed briefings from officials and engineers on Turkey’s advancements in defense technology, especially in drone manufacturing and modern military equipment. During the visit, Hassan praised Turkey’s progress in its defense industry and said Somalia could benefit from Turkish expertise to strengthen its defense capabilities and counterterrorism efforts. The Özdemir Bayraktar Center is regarded as one of the world’s most advanced military technology hubs, producing drones used for airstrikes and ground operations against extremist groups. The visit comes as President Hassan, whose term ends in May 2026, recently signed oil and military agreements with Turkey amid increasing battlefield losses to Al-Shabaab insurgents. Garowe Online
Cameroon: 81 Candidates Apply to Run in Presidential Elections
It’s a record number: 81 candidate applications to run in the presidential elections set for October this year were made to Cameroon’s national body in charge of organising elections by the deadline on Monday at midnight. Among the hopefuls are many second-time runners…Some local media speculated that the number of candidates could point to a growing wish for political change from the population, as well as a fracturing of Cameroon’s political landscape. Despite Biya’s age, the president’s grip on power is unlikely to loosen through elections whose democratic nature is doubted, according to analysts. Last week, Biya also reshuffled top military ranks in what was seen as a way to ensure his renewed run for the presidency would have the army’s backing. The country now waits for the decision of the electoral council, set to approve or reject each application in the coming weeks. The final list of candidates can be published at the latest 60 days before the elections. Africanews
Once a Beacon of Hope, Tunisia’s Civil Society Struggles to Survive
In May 2024, Tunisian activist Cherifa Riahi was arrested just two months after giving birth, accused of harbouring illegal migrants. Over a year later, she is still in prison without charge…Since Saied’s power grab, at least a dozen civil society figures like Riahi have been detained on allegations activists denounce as fabricated, according to rights groups and lawyers. At least 10 civil society groups have had their assets frozen and offices raided, they say. The Tunisian General Labour Union, which won the 2015 Nobel peace prize with other civil society groups and could once bring tens of thousands onto the streets, has been sapped by the arrests of junior officials on corruption charges…Activists warn that some of Tunisia’s last surviving democratic gains are at risk as the judiciary, media and parliament have all come under tighter executive control and most opposition party leaders are in prison…In Tunis, the offices of I Watch, an anti-corruption watchdog founded after the 2011 revolution, used to bustle with dozens of employees, volunteers and journalists. These days, only three employees work on-site. Dozens work remotely, some fearing raids or arrests. Reuters
Court Removes Jailed Egyptian-UK Activist from Terror List
An Egyptian court ordered the removal of jailed activist Alaa Abdel Fattah from the country’s terrorism list on Monday, just over a week after his mother ended a prolonged hunger strike demanding his release. Abdel Fattah, a 43-year-old dual Egyptian-British national, was one of the most prominent figures in Egypt’s 2011 uprising, but has spent much of the past decade in prison under successive governments. Monday’s ruling, issued by Cairo’s Criminal Court, said that security investigations no longer showed evidence of Abdel Fattah’s involvement in any activity linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group…While the court’s ruling lifts several restrictions — including an asset freeze and travel bans — it was not immediately clear whether it would lead to Abdel Fattah’s release. Abdel Fattah completed a five-year sentence for “spreading false news” late last year, but has remained in detention without fresh charges or trial…Despite recent presidential pardons for several other political prisoners, Abdel Fattah has remained behind bars. AFP
The Night Divers Seeking Sea Cucumbers and Profits off West Africa’s Coast
While [sea divers from Sierra Leone’s Banana Islands] used to haul in dozens of buckets of sea cucumbers a night, now they struggle to find a handful… [S]ea cucumbers are prized as a delicacy in China and other parts of Asia…But Asia’s appetite for the animals is pushing global stocks to the brink and quietly damaging the marine ecosystem. Sea cucumbers play a vital role in recycling decomposing matter, turning it into nutrient-rich sediment that helps aerate the seabed. This improves the health of coral reefs and seagrass beds…Ever since two Chinese traders showed up [to the Banana Islands] in 2010 to source and export sea cucumbers, locals say overfishing has decimated local stocks. If only divers had been trained to fish them sustainably – diving seasonally and collecting just the mature ones – then stocks might still be healthy, says Stephen Akester, an adviser on West African fisheries for the World Bank…In return for letting them harvest the sea cucumbers, the traders promised residents that they would bring solar energy to the island and dig two new water wells…But none of the promises were kept…Today, Banana Islands has no running water nor a connection to the electricity grid…[D]ivers are not the only ones feeling the effects of the sea cucumber decline – the nearby reef lies lifeless and grey. Al Jazeera
Mobile Money Drives up Savings in Sub-Saharan Africa, Report Says
The growing use of mobile money has driven a sharp rise in the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa who save money through formal channels. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database report, the share of adults with formal savings stood at 35% in 2024, a 12 percentage point increase from 2021. Some 40% of sub-Saharan Africans had a mobile money account in 2024, up from 27% three years earlier. “Once adults have these formal accounts and become comfortable using them, digital savings follow very strongly,” Michael Wiegand, director of inclusive financial systems at the Gates Foundation, which funded the research, told Semafor. The report’s authors said higher personal savings through formal institutions would support national financial systems, making more funds available for investment and innovation. Semafor
Cleaner Cooking Could save 4.7 Million Lives in Africa by 2040, IEA Says
Getting homes in Africa to stop burning wood, charcoal or dung to feed fires for cooking and use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), bioethanol and biogas could prevent 4.7 million premature deaths between now and 2040, according to a report published on Friday by the International Energy Agency (IEA). One billion Africans are making their meals on open fires or with fuels that are jeopardising their health due to the pollution given off by the smoke. Lifestyles are compromised too, says the report Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa. Across the continent women and girls spend on average four hours a day gathering fuel and cooking. It often means missing out on school lessons or jobs. The lack of clean cooking facilities is also linked to the loss of 1.3 million hectares of forest each year…Last year in Paris, the IEA hosted a summit on clean cooking in Africa. More than 2 billion euros was pledged from public and private sector organisations during the one-day meeting. RFI