Over 150,000 African Deaths Linked to Militant Islamist Groups in Past Decade
Militant Islamist groups in Africa continue to be highly active agents of instability across five theaters on the continent. The 22,307 fatalities linked to these groups over the past year sustain a record level of lethality observed since 2023 and represent a 60-percent increase from the 2020-2022 period. Nearly half of the fatalities (10,685) in the past year have been in the Sahel. Somalia represents roughly a third of the continental fatalities (7,289). Along with the Lake Chad Basin, these three regions account for 99 percent of the militant Islamist-linked fatalities in Africa the past year. All five African theaters (including Mozambique and North Africa) remain highly dynamic with militant insurgents mounting offensive operations in each, especially in the Sahel and Somalia. Battle-related fatalities have increased in every theater over the past year—resulting in a 14-percent rise of battle-related deaths across the continent (15,678). The past year has also seen militant Islamists groups in the Sahel and Somalia expand their hold on territory. Across Africa, an estimated 950,000 square kilometers (367,000 square miles) of populated territories are outside government control due to militant Islamist insurgencies. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Sudan: Darfur Activists Reject ‘Genocidal’ RSF-backed Parallel Government
Civil society organisation, Darfur Union UK condemned the formation of a new “founding government” announced by the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS), labelling it a “genocidal alliance” and an attempt to “whitewash crimes against humanity”. In a statement released yesterday, the organisation said: “This announcement is not a step toward peace, it is a propaganda exercise designed to whitewash crimes against humanity, disguise ethnic cleansing as governance, and manipulate the international community into legitimising a militia-led criminal enterprise…There can be no future for Sudan that includes the RSF or any of its affiliates.” …The League of Arab States strongly condemned the move, calling it “a blatant violation of the will of the people and an attempt to impose a fait accompli with weapons.” It warned that the formation of parallel governments “undermines the State” and could lead to Sudan being divided into rival cantons, jeopardising regional stability…Forces for Freedom and Change-Democratic Bloc branded the founding government “constitutionally, politically and morally invalid,” calling it “a front” for justifying rebellion and covering up crimes against humanity. The bloc reiterated that the only legitimate government is one recognised by the people and the international community. Dabanga
Three Minefields Unearthed in Sudan Capital
Sudan’s National Mine Action Centre (NMC) says its action teams have discovered three ‘internationally banned minefields’ planted in and around Khartoum, allegedly by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during their occupation of the area. The director of the center, Maj Gen Khaled Hamdan, told the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) that the three minefields were discovered in the acacia forest and Muqrin areas, by mine action teams while they were working to assess pollution by remnants of war in the states liberated from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including Khartoum. Gen Hamdan said that specific and specialized work teams are dealing with this type of mine, because they are anti-personnel mines of the plastic type, which contain very little metal. This which makes them difficult to detect without a specific type of advanced mine detector. He said that work is underway by the teams to clear the mines and secure the area completely, but he warned that getting rid of these mines requires extreme caution because they can explode in reaction to pressure of less than a kilogram. He reiterated his warnings to the public not to approach the area until the situation is completely secured. Dabanga
South Sudan: Arrested Youth ‘Forcibly Conscripted’
Security forces in Juba are arresting young men under the guise of cracking down on gangs, only to forcibly conscript them into the military and deploy them to conflict zones, according to lawmakers and families. The allegations follow a series of coordinated raids in recent weeks across Juba neighborhoods, including Gumbo Sherikat, Munuki, New Site, Gudele, Suk Zande, Hai Baraka, and Jebel Yesua. Samuel Buhari Loti, a national MP representing Torit, said on Monday that detainees—particularly those unable to pay hefty bribes—are being transported to training camps in Upper Nile State, a region embroiled in violent clashes…“Those who can’t pay are reportedly taken away, recruited, and later appear in Malakal as soldiers. This is deeply troubling.” Families report being asked to pay between 100,000 and 500,000 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) to secure their children’s release—a sum far beyond most in the struggling economy, the lawmaker said…James Karlo, whose 16-year-old son was arrested and later reportedly sent to Nasir, a hotspot for fighting, said he was told the transfer was part of a “government initiative.” “When I went to the police station to look for my son, people there told me he had been transferred to Nasir as part of a government initiative,” he said. “I was not comfortable with that decision. Individuals involved in crimes should face courts—not be sent to a warzone,” he added. Radio Tamazuj
Abducted Burkina Political Activist Is Freed: Family
A prominent lawyer and political figure in Burkina Faso who was abducted over the weekend has been released, his entourage told AFP on Monday. Hermann Yameogo, 77, “was freed last night and is now with his family,” a relative told AFP on Monday. Another family member confirmed his release, adding that he “underwent interrogation before being allowed to return to his family.” According to his entourage, Yameogo, who has health issues, was abducted at his home in the capital Ouagadougou by armed men in plainclothes, days after publishing a tract critical of the country’s leaders. Yameogo is a son of Maurice Yameogo, the first president (1959-1966) of independent Burkina Faso, then called Upper Volta. Burkina Faso has been ruled by a military regime headed by Captain Ibrahim Traore since he seized power following a coup in September 2022. The junta has been accused of misusing a general mobilisation decree in the country’s fight against Islamic militants to suppress dissenting voices, forcibly conscripting critics to fight on the front line. AFP
Ghana Deploys Troops to Burkina Border after Students Killing
Ghana has deployed soldiers to the conflict-ridden town of Bawku, near the border with Burkina Faso, following the reported killing of three students by gunmen at the weekend. Saturday’s shooting has sparked fresh fears about escalating violence in the northern town, which has long been gripped by a protracted chieftaincy dispute and faces concerns of a spillover from the Sahel region’s jihadist conflicts…In 2023 Ghana sent 1,000 more troops and police to Bawku to reinforce security after gunmen killed an immigration officer and wounded two others near the border with Burkina Faso. Bawku lies close to the border with Burkina Faso, where Islamist militants have displaced millions of people and led to numerous cross-border security concerns for Ghana. In recent months Ghana’s army has stepped up patrols along the northern frontier to stave off potential spillovers from the Sahel’s various conflicts. AFP
Cameroonian Opposition Leader Maurice Kamto Appeals Election Disqualification
Cameroonian opposition leader Maurice Kamto is challenging his disqualification from October’s presidential election, filing an appeal on Monday with the country’s Constitutional Council. Last week, Kamto, who was runner up to incumbent Paul Biya in 2018, was barred from this year’s election by Cameroon’s electoral oversight body Elecam. Elecam cited the fact that Manidem, the party Kamto represents, had already submitted a candidate for the 2025 vote. Kamto’s supporters however are crying foul, pointing out that other parties are also running multiple candidates, without push-back from Elecam. Kamto is widely seen as the main challenger to 92-year-old President Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state who has ruled Cameroon since 1982. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security has warned that the exclusion of candidates could lead to public protests in the capital Yaoundé. Africanews and AP
Troops Kill 45 ‘Bandits’ in North-central Nigeria: Conflict Monitor
Nigerian troops killed 45 members of an armed criminal gang in a shootout in the north-central Niger state, according to a conflict monitors’ report shared with the UN and seen by AFP on Monday…It was the latest clash in an offensive by the security forces on the armed gangs known as “bandits” that have taken root across Nigeria’s rural hinterlands amid poverty and government neglect…The latest violence struck on Friday in Iburu village, in the Shiroro local government area of Niger state, but the information was disclosed on Monday. The report said that the operation was mounted following intelligence reports of a looming attack in and around Iburu…The bandits raid, loot and burn villages, exact taxes, and conduct kidnappings for ransom. AFP
Nigerian Bandits Kill 33 Captives despite Receiving Ransom
Bandits in northwestern Nigeria’s Zamfara state have slaughtered 33 people they had kidnapped in February despite receiving a $33,700 ransom, while three babies died in captivity, local officials and residents said Monday. Zamfara and other states in central and northwestern Nigeria have for years been terrorised by criminal gangs who carry out deadly raids, kidnappings and arson attacks…Local political administrator Mannir Haidara confirmed that some captives had been killed but did not give a number…In February, bandits stormed into Banga village in the Kaura Namoda district on motorcycles and abducted 51 people, including three pregnant women, after killing two others, residents said. The locals then paid the ransom in two installments. But on Friday only 18 captives returned to Banga and reported the killing of 33 fellow captives by their abductors…Bandit violence has persisted despite the federal government having deployed the army, while state authorities have recruited vigilantes and paid militia to fight the gangs. Many bandit groups have reneged on amnesty offers by local authorities. AFP
As Kenya’s Protests Intensified, Two Friends Bled on Opposite Sides
As Kenya braced for another round of anti-government protests last month, two childhood friends rushed to get ready. Collins joined the growing swell of young Kenyans raising their voices against police brutality and corruption. Stephen was recruited as a “goon” — young men paid and armed by political fixers to patrol the streets…Stephen, a 27-year-old father of two, was cornered by a furious crowd of protesters who attacked him with stones, breaking his leg and slashing his face. Collins, 22, was set upon by stick-wielding “goons” who broke his arm, battered his skull and knocked out six of his teeth…Their experience on the streets that June afternoon, and the dreams and desperation that led them there, illustrate the plight of young Kenyans, jobless and furious at their leaders, who feel they have nothing left to lose. Many continue to risk their lives in street protests. Others are being recruited, for a few dollars a day, to menace the protesters, as powerful political forces seek to discredit the demonstrations and target their leaders, rights groups say…All the young people are out of work, the friends said, and families are hungry. “If they come to mobilize again, I will go back,” Stephen said sadly. “I need the money.” The Washington Post
Kenya to Host First-ever Pan-African Artificial Intelligence Conference
Kenya will host the premier Africa Artificial Intelligence Conference (AIPAC 2025), the first continental gathering focusing exclusively on Artificial Intelligence. The four-day conference, taking place from August 25 to 28 in Mombasa, has been strategically designed to position Kenya at the epicentre of global AI conversations. AIPAC 2025 is expected to bring together over 1,500 business and corporate leaders, policymakers, scholars, innovators, and researchers from across Africa and the globe. Delegates will collaborate on co-creating national AI strategies, shaping ethical frameworks, unlocking investments, and celebrating African talent and innovation in the field of AI…Kenya’s top AI entrepreneurs will connect with global venture capitalists and equity investors while at the same time delegates will engage in high-level discussions to forge public-private AI partnerships. Scholars and practitioners with input from delegates will draft key policy recommendations and develop cross-border talent development pacts. Kenyan universities and research institutions will use the event to tap into international R&D opportunities…This pioneering event, according to organisers, is not only meant to cement Kenya’s position as Africa’s AI hub, but also to provide Kenyan authorities and institutions with a vital platform to influence and shape global AI conversations. The Standard
Senegal Opens Official Probe into 2021-2024 Political Violence
Justice Minister Ousmane Diagne has formally requested the probe in a letter to the Attorney General, aiming to shed light on years of political violence between 2021 and 2024. At least 80 people were killed and dozens more seriously injured in clashes with security forces or during skirmishes between civilians. The Prosecutor of the Republic in Dakar, Ibrahima Ndoye, has been tasked with leading the investigation. His mandate: determine accountability and decide whether to pursue charges against civilians, law enforcement, or political leaders. Beyond the deaths, some citizens have reported being tortured during the unrest, raising further concerns about human rights violations. A controversial amnesty law passed in the final weeks of former President Macky Sall’s term had initially derailed many hopes for justice. But legal experts argue that the most serious crimes, including torture and extrajudicial killings, cannot be covered by such a law. Africanews and AP
UN Report Reveals Alarming Rise in Africa’s Food Insecurity despite Global Improvements
Food insecurity is rising in many parts of Africa, with the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet surpassing 1 billion — some two-thirds of the continent’s population — in 2024, according to a United Nations report published Monday. The prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in Africa is more than double the global average of 28%, whereas figures from Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania don’t reach that mark, the report said. The annual report, produced by five U.N. agencies, analyzes trends in efforts to achieve the goal of zero hunger around the world by 2030…The prevalence of undernourishment, a key measure of progress, surpassed 20% in Africa and rose to 12.7% in western Asia, it said. The report is the latest to suggest that eliminating food insecurity universally remains a serious challenge. Africa remains the most vulnerable continent. According to the current projection, 512 million people in the world may be chronically undernourished in 2030, with nearly 60% of them to be found in Africa, the report said. AFP