AU, Arab League, Saudis Condemn RSF-led Government in Sudan
The African Union, the Arab League and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned a move by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to form a parallel government, and urged other nations not to recognize it. The move came after the “Tasis” coalition, dominated by the RSF and its commander, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, announced on July 26 the formation of a presidential council and the appointment of a prime minister, challenging the official government run by the army from Port Sudan. In separate statements, the regional bodies rejected the declaration as an illegal step that exceeded Sudan’s constitutional framework and threatened the country’s unity and territorial integrity. The AU’s Peace and Security Council called on member states and the international community to “refrain from providing support and assistance” to the new body…The statements reiterated support for previous peace efforts, including the 2023 Jeddah Declaration and U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on the RSF to end its siege of El Fasher and allow humanitarian aid. Sudan Tribune
Inside the Drugs Factory: How Captagon is Fuelling the War in Sudan
Fashionable with fighters and partygoers in the Middle East during the past decade, [captagon,] the cheaply produced and addictive amphetamine, which heightens concentration, increases physical stamina and induces euphoria, has been the scourge of Arab governments. The RSF, according to security sources, either gives it away to its fighters to increase alertness and suppress hunger or sells it to civilians for profit. Until December, Syria was the primary production and export hub for captagon. But the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, which was heavily involved in the industry, exposed and shut down a raft of captagon laboratories and the routes used by its smugglers…Earlier this year, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which has been at war with the RSF since April 2023, forced the paramilitaries from Khartoum and the capital’s surrounding eponymous state. The area around al-Jaili oil refinery, which is north of Khartoum Bahri, was among the first territories to be taken in the offensive. And it was there, in February, that [a] captagon factory was discovered…Beside [a] used tablet press is the crate that the machine appears to have arrived in. On one side, a paper shipping label suggests it was imported via Amass Middle East Shipping Services, a Dubai-based company. Middle East Eye
Attack on Military Base in Burkina Faso Kills about 50 Soldiers, Residents Say
An attack by an armed group on a military base in northern Burkina Faso has left about 50 soldiers dead, according to accounts by a community leader and a resident on Tuesday. The Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin group, or JNIM, was suspected of carrying out the attack Monday on the base in Dargo in Boulsa province in the northern region of the landlocked West African nation. The two sources, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they feared repercussions from the military, said about 100 militants participated in the attack, and that the gunmen burned and looted the base after the killings…JNIM, one of several armed groups conducting attacks across West Africa, has been blamed for hundreds of civilian and military deaths. Burkina Faso is witnessing a surge in attacks by armed groups who are in control of most of the country, especially outside of the capital…The military leader, Ibrahim Traore, has been unable to rein in the Islamist groups despite his redrawing of political and military allies. AP
Burkina Faso Influencer Alino Faso, Detained in Abidjan, Found ‘Hanged’
Alain Christophe Traoré, known as Alino Faso, a supporter of Burkina Faso’s ruling junta…died in detention at the Abidjan Gendarmerie School on Thursday, 24 July…According to a statement from Ivorian public prosecutor Oumar Braman Koné, the 44-year-old influencer “hanged himself.” …Alino Faso had been arrested on 10 January in Abidjan, accused of “collaborating with agents of a foreign state in a manner that could harm Côte d’Ivoire’s military or diplomatic situation or its vital economic interests”. In January, a security source told AFP that Alino Faso was believed to have maintained ties with the Les Bataillons de Communication d’Intervention Rapide (BIR-C), an informal online propaganda network of pro-junta Burkinabé cyberactivists known for amplifying the rhetoric of Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s military regime. The BIR-C frequently spread junta propaganda online, often threatening or verbally attacking critics of Burkina Faso’s leadership…In recent months, Burkinabé cyberactivists have openly accused President Alassane Ouattara’s government of being a “stooge of imperialist forces” and have promoted conspiracy theories about Ivorian involvement in destabilising the Sahel. In turn, Ivorian authorities have become increasingly concerned about cross-border radicalisation and the influence of Burkinabé propaganda networks operating from within their territory. The Africa Report with AFP
Why Ghana’s Conflict on the Burkina Border Is Raising Alarm among Security Experts
Ghana has deployed soldiers to Bawku after gunmen attacked the northern town, killing three students…The killings have ignited fresh fears over the resurgence of an entrenched ethnic conflict in Ghana’s Upper East Region, notably between the Mamprusi and Kusasi communities, and raised alarms about potential spillover from jihadist violence in neighbouring Burkina Faso. Bawku’s troubles revolve around a protracted chieftaincy dispute between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups. Historically, the Mamprusi claimed traditional authority over Bawku, while the Kusasi assert their rights as the majority population…The killing of the students signals that violence in Bawku is increasingly targeting civilians. Security experts fear this escalation could push the area into deeper instability – especially as Ghana sits close to Burkina Faso, a country destabilised by jihadist insurgencies. There is growing concern that violent groups from across the border could exploit ethnic tensions, drawing Ghana further into regional conflict. Moreover, previous attacks – such as the ambush of buses travelling under military escort – indicate an alarming rise in organised, targeted violence, undermining Ghana’s efforts to maintain security in the region…Ghana’s northern border with Burkina Faso is porous, allowing the easy flow of illegal arms, militant activity and the movement of combatants across the frontier. Security experts warn that local grievances, unemployment and ongoing ethnic violence in Ghana provide fertile ground for jihadist groups seeking new areas for recruitment or influence. The Africa Report with AFP
JNIM Has Killed Dozens of Civilians in Togo This Year, Minister Says
[A militant Islamist group] has killed dozens of civilians and eight soldiers so far this year in Togo, the country’s foreign minister told Reuters last week, in a rare official acknowledgement of the toll of rising attacks. Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Dussey said 15 attacks in northern Togo had been perpetrated so far this year by Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an insurgent group in West Africa’s Sahel region. He put the civilian death toll at 54. Togo has seen a rise in jihadist activity in recent years, as [militant Islamist groups] have spread from the Sahel…[These groups have] seized territory despite costly military efforts to push them back, spreading into Burkina Faso and Niger and more recently into the north of coastal countries such as Togo…Dussey told Reuters that there are about 8,000 Togolese forces in the north between Togo and neighboring Burkina Faso. Reuters
Russia Wants to Mine Niger’s Uranium, Energy Minister Says
Russia wishes to mine uranium in Niger, a top source of the radioactive metal ruled by a military junta friendly to the Kremlin, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev has said…While on an official visit to the capital Niamey on Monday, Tsivilev met Niger’s junta chief, General Abdourahamane Tiani, to talk about the two countries’ burgeoning economic cooperation…During the visit, Russia’s atomic agency Rosatom and Niger’s energy ministry signed a memorandum of understanding on civilian uses for nuclear power, according to the statement…Like its fellow junta-run allies in Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger has pivoted away from France and the West in favour of closer cooperation with Russia. As a result of its insistence on exercising more control over Niger’s natural resources, the junta is currently locked in a stand-off with the Orano nuclear group, which is 90-percent owned by the French state. In 2024, Niger removed Orano’s operational control of its three main mines in the country — Somair, Cominak and Imouraren — which the Paris-based company has attempted to win back through arbitration. The Imouraren mine is home to one of the largest deposits of uranium in the world. In June the ruling junta announced it would nationalise the Somair mine, in a move Orano slammed as “asset stripping”. AFP
At Least 5 Dead in Clashes Between Uganda, South Sudan Forces
At least five South Sudan security forces were killed in clashes with the Ugandan army near the countries’ shared border earlier this week, local officials said Wednesday. Uganda has a history of involvement in impoverished South Sudan, and has long provided military support to President Salva Kiir, including a deployment of special forces since March. It was not clear what triggered the clashes on Monday between the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and government troops in Central Equatoria State that were confirmed by South Sudanese People’s Defence Force (SSPDF)…Uganda sent troops to support Kiir when civil war broke out in the country in 2013, just two years after it gained independence from Sudan…Uganda again deployed special forces in March this year as Kiir moved once again against [his longtime rival Riek Machar], eventually placing him under house arrest…The Ugandan army has been accused of using chemical weapons, namely barrel bombs containing a flammable liquid that killed civilians, against Nuer militias in South Sudan’s northeast. AFP
AU Names New Bosses for Somalia Mission
In a move that presents hope for the beleaguered peacekeeping mission in Somalia, the African Union has appointed new leadership for the African Union Stabilisation and Support Mission in Somalia (Aussom), naming Senegalese diplomat El Hadji Ibrahima Diene “Boly” as head and Djibouti’s Mouktar Osman Karie as his deputy…The officials replace Mohamed Al Amine Souef, appointed AU Chairperson’s Chief of Staff in March, and Siyuvile Thandikhaya Bam, whose tenure ended unceremoniously in April this year, when the AU recalled him, just over a year into his tour of duty…In a statement, Aussom said Ambassador Diene brings a wealth of experience to the role, having held various tactical, operational, and strategic positions within and outside Senegal, spanning conflict and crisis settings in West, Central, and East Africa…Ambassador Karie, on the other hand, has diplomatic and political experience in peace and security across Africa, having most recently served as Regional Desk Coordinator for West Africa at the AU Commission, where he provided high-level strategic engagement with member states and regional organisations. The East African
Tanzania: Government Introduces Mandatory Exams for Top Public Sector Roles
The [Tanzanian] government has introduced mandatory examinations for newly appointed or promoted senior public officials as part of efforts to improve leadership efficiency and accountability in the public service. The new policy, announced by Chief Secretary Moses Kusiluka on Monday, aims to ensure that only competent individuals with a sound understanding of government systems are entrusted with leadership responsibilities. “…Development begins with a strong public sector…” Dr Kusiluka said. He was speaking at the opening of a four-day training programme for chief executive officers and managing directors of public institutions, organised by the Office of the Treasury Registrar in collaboration with Uongozi Institute…He issued several directives to public sector leaders, including the need to strengthen revenue collection, cut unproductive spending and invest in human capital, digital systems and infrastructure. He also called for enhanced profitability among commercial institutions, improved service delivery in public entities and greater use of ICT to streamline operations. The Citizen
Hundreds of Arrests during Deadly Angola Fuel Protests
What began as a three-day strike by taxi drivers against rising petrol prices has escalated into one of the most widespread and disruptive waves of protest the country has seen in recent years. Thousands of people joined demonstrations in the capital on Monday that saw roads blocked, shops looted, cars destroyed as well as clashes between demonstrators and police. Since Monday night there have been reports of gunfire in parts of the capital. Pockets of protests continued in Luanda on Tuesday, along with further clashes with police and more looting of shops, while demonstrations have spread further afield to the central city of Huambo. “The fuel price issue is just the last straw that has reignited widespread public discontent… People are fed up. Hunger is rife, and the poor are becoming miserable,” a prominent local activist, Laura Macedo, told the BBC…As frustrations spilled over on Monday, groups of protesters took to the streets in various parts of Luanda, chanting against fuel price increases, nearly five decades of rule by the governing MPLA party and expressing their frustration with the country’s current state of affairs. BBC
Nigeria Flash Floods Kill 23: UN
Flash floods triggered by heavy seasonal rains in Nigeria’s Adamawa state have killed at least 23 people and left thousands homeless, the UN humanitarian agency said Tuesday. Dozens of others were injured as several neighbourhoods in Yola, capital of the northeastern state, were submerged on Sunday, the United Nations humanitarian affairs agency OCHA said. Authorities are conducting search and rescue operations and have opened shelters for those displaced…Heavy rains sweep Nigeria between June and November, often triggering dangerous floods where poor infrastructure and inadequate drainage often worsens the impact across Africa’s most populous country. More than 200 people have been killed in floods in Nigeria since the start of the rainy season in May, most of them in the north-central Niger state. In 2024, more than 300 people were killed and over a million displaced in at least 34 out of Nigeria’s 36 states, making it one of the country’s worst flood seasons in decades, according to OCHA. AFP
Heavy Rains Kill 15 in Guinea Since Late June
Fifteen people have died in Guinea since late June in flooding caused by torrential rain in the west African country, according to a government report. Besides the heavy rain, the flooding was worsened by uncontrolled construction and clogged gutters, the director of Guinea’s National Agency for Emergency and Humanitarian Disaster Management (ANGUCH) told AFP. The capital Conakry and surrounding areas have been the hardest hit, according to the report, which was sent to AFP Monday evening. In addition to the 15 deaths, the flooding has injured 19 people and damaged 138 homes between June 28 and July 24, the report said. A total of 52 households were forced to flee their homes, it added. AFP
Egypt Charges Ex-Political Prisoner with Spreading Fake News: Lawyer
Egyptian poet and former political prisoner Ahmed Douma was charged with spreading fake news on Tuesday, his lawyer told AFP, two years after he received a presidential pardon. Douma was summoned to the offices of state security prosecutors, where he was questioned for seven hours before being charged with “broadcasting false news within and outside the country,” in reference to “four posts on X,” his lawyer Nabeh Elgenadi told AFP. He was released on bail set at 50,000 Egyptian pounds or around $1,000. Elgenadi said the posts referred to included one in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and another criticising the sale of state assets. Fake news charges are frequently levelled against opposition figures…After a decade behind bars, Douma was released in August 2023, part of a wave of high-profile pardons issued by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The poet, a prominent figure in Egypt’s 2011 uprising, was arrested in the sweeping crackdown that followed the army’s overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi two years later…In April, when Douma was last summoned for questioning, Egyptian rights groups condemned what they said was a practice of summoning pardoned dissidents “with the aim of intimidating them and restricting their freedom of expression,” according to a statement from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. AFP
US Grammy Winner Ciara Becomes Citizen of Benin under New Slavery Descendants Law
US singer Ciara has become one of the first public figures to be granted citizenship of Benin, under a new law offering nationality to the descendants of slaves…The citizenship scheme is part of an initiative by the small West African country to build ties with the African diaspora and boost cultural tourism…By enacting the My Afro Origins Law last year, Benin joined countries like Ghana and Guinea-Bissau in offering citizenship to people with an African ancestor who was taken from their homeland as part of the transatlantic slave trade…Just last week, Benin appointed renowned American filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, a seasoned producer and author, as its ambassadors for African-Americans in the US. Benin’s coastline is part of what was once known as the Slave Coast – a major departure point for enslaved Africans shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. Between 1580 and 1727, the Kingdom of Whydah, a major slave-trading centre located on what is now Benin’s coast, is estimated to have exported more than a million Africans to the US, the Caribbean and Brazil. BBC