Suspected Jihadists Kill 7 Police, 1 Soldier In Burkina Faso
A spate of attacks blamed on jihadists killed seven police officers and one soldier in Burkina Faso, long riven by an Islamist insurgency, local and security sources told AFP on Monday. Two of the attacks targeted a police position near the eastern town of Fada N’Gourma, towards the borderlands along the frontier with Niger where many armed groups have dug themselves in…According to a Burkinabe security source, another attack took place on June 30 targeting an army position near Boulsa, in the centre, for which the JNIM has also claimed responsibility…Though Burkina Faso’s ruling junta, which took power in a coup in September 2022, has promised to make the Sahel nation’s security a priority, the country is still plagued by attacks from jihadists and other armed groups. More than 26,000 civilians and soldiers have been killed in the violence since 2015, according to the conflict monitor ACLED. More than half of those deaths took place in the past three years, while the junta has been in power. AFP
As Jihadists Gain Ground in Niger, Leader Tiani Is Losing His Grip on the Country
Since the 2023 coup in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani, the former head of the Presidential Guard under presidents Mahamadou Issoufou and Mohamed Bazoum, has made many promises. He has blamed local politicians, the West, particularly France, and their accomplices for hindering the army’s fight against jihadists. But on the ground, the terrorists continue to gain ground, and the army lacks resources. On 30 May, Tiani, who has held a five-star rank since March, handed out decorations to members of the Comité National pour le Salut du Peuple (CNSP) – the junta that seized power in July 2023, ousting elected president Bazoum, who remains imprisoned despite timid mediation efforts…Just five days earlier, on 25 May, around 100 Islamic State fighters stormed the Eknewan camp in Tahoua Region, near the Mali border, killing at least 58 soldiers. The day before the decorations, fighters killed around 40 soldiers in Falmey, near Benin and Burkina Faso…On 23 February, Tiani announced that the junta wanted to restart gold production with the Liptako Mining Company in Samira, a gold-mining town. But the region remains dangerous – jihadists recently attacked the nearby town Libiri. The Africa Report
Ambush, Gang Clashes Kill At Least 40 In Central Nigeria: Red Cross, Residents
An armed gang in central Nigeria’s Plateau state killed at least 40 members of village self-defence groups in a weekend ambush and related attack, the Red Cross and residents told AFP on Tuesday. While the restive state is often the scene of deadly farmer-herder conflicts over dwindling land and natural resources, local officials blamed Sunday’s attacks on “bandits”, as criminal gangs are referred to in Nigeria. For years, the heavily armed gangs have been intensifying assaults in rural areas in northwest and central Nigeria where there is little state presence, killing thousands and conducting kidnappings for ransom…Much of the violence in Plateau occurs in areas with little state presence, giving criminals a sense of impunity, researchers say. The creation of government-backed militias and local self-defence vigilante groups has expanded the Nigerian security apparatus both formally and informally, with mixed results…Local groups can often find themselves overwhelmed or provoke harsh retaliation from armed groups for fighting back. AFP
Sudan: Government-allied Darfur Faction Arrests Two Journalists in El Fasher
An armed group led by a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council has arrested two journalists in El Fasher, the embattled capital of North Darfur, amid an intensifying crackdown on the press in the city. Local sources told Sudan Tribune that a military intelligence unit of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council (SLM-TC) arrested journalists Mohamed Ahmed Nazar and Nasr Yacoub on Monday afternoon from a market in the Abu Shouk displacement camp. The SLM-TC, led by Sovereign Council member Salah Rasas, is part of the joint force of armed movements allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The two journalists were transferred to one of the joint force’s detention centres, the sources said. The arrests highlight the severe difficulties facing journalists in El Fasher, where the SAF and its allies have been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over a year. Many reporters have fled the city, accusing the joint force and army intelligence of restricting their ability to work freely. The detention occurred just one day after an SLM-TC officer allegedly opened fire on Yacoub at a Starlink internet centre he operates. The incident reportedly happened after Yacoub refused to shut down the service and surrender the equipment without an official order…One of the detainees, Mohamed Ahmed Nazar, is the former press director for a previous governor of North Darfur and has been actively reporting on events in El Fasher on his Facebook page. Sudan Tribune
Al-Shabaab and Somali Army Clash Over Strategic Town
Fighting was ongoing between Somalia’s armed forces and the Al-Shabaab Islamist group over a strategic town in the country’s central region, a local militia commander and elder said on Monday. Growing attacks by the Al-Qaeda-linked group, including one on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s convoy, are fuelling concerns of a jihadist resurgence in the Horn of Africa nation after the militants were forced back in recent years. Al-Shabaab militants attacked Moqokori, roughly 300 kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu, with “vehicles loaded with explosives and hundreds of fighters”, local militia commander Abdulahi Adan said. The town’s militia had “tactically retreated”, he said, but added that “there is still ongoing sporadic fighting in the area, so that this is not a complete takeover”…Moqokori is strategically located as a gateway to several other major towns in the central Hiraan region. The town has long been contested, with Al-Shabaab seizing it in 2016, and last holding it briefly in 2018… [The attack] comes only months after Al-Shabaab took the town of Adan Yabaal, also in the Hiraan region, and which was used as a base by Somali military commanders. AFP
African Union Extends Burundi Troop Presence in Somalia by Six Months
The African Union has extended the presence of Burundian troops in Somalia for an additional six months, reversing an earlier plan for their full withdrawal by June 30, 2025, as part of the transition from the ATMIS mission to the new AUSSOM force. The AU Peace and Security Council announced the decision following a meeting that highlighted the urgent need to fill “gaps” in AUSSOM troop deployments caused by delays from other contributing countries, particularly Egypt. Burundian forces will remain in Somalia temporarily to bolster ongoing operations against the al Shabaab insurgency and to support state-building and domestic security efforts, the AU said in a statement. The six-month extension is expected to provide time for all troop-contributing countries to finalize preparations for their deployment under AUSSOM, which is set to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). The decision underscores persistent challenges facing the AU-led transition, including funding shortfalls and logistical hurdles that continue to complicate the handover process. Burundi has been a key contributor to AU peacekeeping efforts in Somalia for over a decade, with its troops playing a frontline role in efforts to stabilize the country. Garowe Online
Behind Bars, Ugandan Opposition Figure Besigye Launches a New Political Party
The party of opposition figure Kizza Besigye was launched in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Tuesday, with its jailed leader behind bars for alleged treason. Supporters at the event carried a framed portrait of Besigye, who was expected to address the launch of his People’s Front for Freedom, either by video conference or through a written message. Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, has been jailed since November on charges he plotted to overthrow the government of President Yoweri Museveni. Prosecutors cite treason, a crime that carries the death penalty in the east African country. They say Besigye solicited military support overseas to destabilize national security. Besigye’s attorneys and followers say the charges are politically motivated, calculated to remove him from political contestation over Uganda’s future after Museveni, who is 80. Besigye has been repeatedly denied bail even as his attorneys cite his poor health. Uganda’s next presidential election is set for January 2026. AP
11 Dead and Hundreds Arrested in Kenya’s Anti-government Protests
At least 11 people died and more than 500 were arrested in anti-government protests across Kenya on Monday, according to the country’s National Police Service. Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters marking the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy rally that has stirred anti-government resentment among Kenyan youths, who were already enraged over allegations of corruption, police brutality and abductions of government critics. Some 11 civilians were injured, police said in a Monday night statement, though the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) reported that 29 people were injured. A total of 567 people were arrested, the police added…On Monday, several parts of Kenya saw gatherings as people marked the anniversary of the July 7, 1990, pro-democracy march known as Saba Saba. CNN
South Sudan’s Kiir Sacks Army Chief
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday sacked his Defense Chief Gen. Paul Nang Majok and appointed Gen. Dau Aturjong Nyuol as the head of the army. No reason was provided for Nang’s dismissal, although it was widely rumored that he would be removed following the return of the president from his trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sacking of Gen. Nang, announced by state-owned broadcaster South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), takes effect immediately…General Aturjong, a former SPLA-IO commander, served as head of the SPLA army’s third infantry division in the greater Bahr al Ghazal region, succeeding Gen. Santino Deng Wol after his return from rebellion following the 2015 peace agreement, which later collapsed…The country has been witnessing heightened security and political tensions after President Kiir sidelined his first vice president and longtime rival, Riek Machar, who was placed under house arrest in March. Under Nang’s command, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) intensified military operations—including airstrikes in civilian areas—against SPLA-IO forces and armed groups in the Upper Nile region, drawing condemnation from rights groups. Radio Tamazuj
‘A Spirit of Oneness’: Cooperatives Cultivating Peace in South Sudan
For over a decade, South Sudan has faced many intersecting challenges. Following its independence in 2011, a civil war broke out, concluding in 2018 with a peace agreement. But this peace is more fragile than ever. Looting and intercommunal violence, mainly perpetrated by young people, continues to be an ever-present concern for many communities which already face catastrophic food insecurity and continual climate shocks. In this context, cooperatives provide a ray of hope…Cooperatives are voluntary economic organizations in which members share in the risk, work and income. “A cooperative is a democratic, social association of people who, as individuals, cannot improve their status of living and social status … But once they come together in a cooperative, then, they can raise the standard of their living,” said Oneil Yosia Damia, the Director-General for Cooperative Development in South Sudan. FAO’s Louis Bagare believes that this sort of democratic approach to governance at a local level will trickle up to the national level and encourage more widespread buy-in to a democratic form of governance across South Sudan. In addition to providing a model of democratic governance, cooperatives also enable economic growth and development, providing communities — especially young people — a viable and sustainable alternative to looting. UN News
Inside Kondengui Prison: Ground Zero of Cameroon’s War on Dissent
Thousands of people have been detained and tortured [at Kondengui maximum security prison in Yaoundé] as President Paul Biya, who turned 92 this year, seeks to keep Cameroon under his grip. Many arrived after the introduction of an anti-terrorism law in 2014 that allowed military tribunals to try civilians, “leaving [detainees] with virtually no procedural guarantees”, as Amnesty International put it in 2021. Inmates can spend years behind bars without trial. One was recently released after six years without trial on a charge of not producing an ID card when asked to by authorities. The maximum sentence in such a case is just a year. Among Kondengui’s inmates are dozens of supporters of the leading opposition party, Cameroon Renaissance Movement. Its leader, Maurice Kamto, spent nine months here after protests against the 2018 election results…Built in 1967 under [first post-independence president, Ahmadou Ahidjo], Kondengui had an initial capacity of 1,500 inmates. As of October 2024, it held six times that number, according to the justice minister, Laurent Esso. The Guardian
Lawyers of Chadian Jailed Opposition Leader Call on Macron to Intervene
Lawyers in Chad representing former prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra have issued a formal appeal to French President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to intervene in what they describe as a politically motivated legal case after Masra was arrested in May. Masra, who leads the opposition Les Transformateurs party, has been held in pre-trial detention since May 2025 on charges of orchestrating the massacre of 42 herders in Mandakao, near the border with Cameroon, on May 14 – an allegation he categorically denies. According to his legal team, which includes both Chadian and French lawyers, the judge’s decision to detain Masra was made under pressure from the highest levels of the Chadian government. In a letter addressed to the French president, they argue that the only piece of evidence submitted by investigators – and which the examining magistrate relied upon – is a 2023 audio recording in which Masra calls on southern populations to engage in self-defence amid a wave of deadly violence at the time. “This case was fabricated from the start,” Vincent Bringarth of the Paris-based law firm Bourdon & Associés told RFI… “We have firmly presented this argument before the Chadian courts, which clearly refuse to engage with reason. When domestic legal avenues are exhausted, we must take international recourse.” RFI
Rights Groups Call for Info Year after Guinea Activists’ Disappearance
Some two dozen rights groups called Tuesday for Guinea’s ruling junta to release details on the fate of two activists missing for a year, following a recent spate of kidnappings in the west African country. The two leading anti-junta activists, Oumar Sylla, better known as Fonike Mengue, and Mamadou Billo Bah, went missing in July 2024 from the capital Conakry. Their pro-democracy movement, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), said the pair were brutally arrested by armed men and have denounced their disappearance as a kidnapping…In the days following their disappearance, Guinea’s public prosecutor denied they had been arrested and called for investigations. However no information has been made public, according to the rights groups…They also called on Guinean authorities to shed light on the case of journalist Habib Marouane Camara, missing since December…The rights groups said that apart from disappearances, multiple lawyers and political actors frequently report receiving threats against their safety…The junta has routinely banned protests calling for the military to hand power back to civilians and has shut down several news outlets. AFP
Ivory Coast Ex-minister Released after Apologising for Election Criticism
A former minister for Ivory Coast’s ruling party who was arrested in June for criticising the exclusion of opposition candidates from upcoming presidential elections was released Monday after apologising, his lawyer said. Joel N’Guessan, who served as human rights minister in 2006-2007 and is a former spokesperson for the current ruling party, was arrested June 18 for “discrediting the judicial institution and magistrates”, according to prosecutors. The courts have banned four opposition figures, including former president Laurent Gbagbo, from the October 25 poll. In an interview with lemondeactuel.com just before his arrest, N’Guessan stated that he was “convinced that the exclusion of certain political actors will lead to a national crisis”. This past Saturday, N’Guessan apologised for his comments, and on Monday his lawyer Ange Rodrigue Dadje said in a statement that he has been granted a “provisional release” and had returned to his residence, though he omitted whether his client still faces charges. Casting “discredit on institutions” can be punished by three to five years of prison in the Ivory Coast. AFP
South African President Says National Dialogue Will Continue Without Coalition Partner
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday that a national dialogue aimed at uniting the country after last year’s election would continue without his party’s main coalition partner. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-biggest party in the coalition government after Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC), pulled out of the process last week after Ramaphosa fired a deputy minister from the party. The DA stopped short of leaving the governing coalition. The parties have clashed repeatedly since the coalition was formed a year ago, with the DA accusing the ANC of acting without proper consultation…The national dialogue is an initiative by Ramaphosa to try to come up with solutions to some of the country’s most pressing challenges, like high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime. Ramaphosa sacked deputy trade minister Andrew Whitfield last week over an unauthorised trip to the U.S. and said the DA should nominate a replacement. Reuters
Libya Authorities Intercept Over 100 Migrants Off Coast
Libyan authorities on Monday said they had intercepted 113 migrants off the country’s coast and recovered three bodies in separate operations over three days… [Libya] has become a hub for tens of thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe, risking their lives at sea. Migrants intercepted by Libyan authorities — even in international waters before reaching the Italian coast, some 300 kilometres away — are forcibly returned to Libya and held in detention under harsh conditions frequently condemned by the United Nations. AFP
Kenya: Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet Break World Records
Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet told each other on the warm-up track to go for it at the Prefontaine Classic, where each would later chase a world record. The close friends from Kenya delivered. First Chebet, who became the first woman to break 14 minutes in the 5000m. Then Kipyegon, who broke the 1500m world record for a third consecutive year and was enveloped in a Chebet hug after crossing the finish line in Eugene, Oregon. “We met before (the races), and I told her, ‘We have to believe in ourselves,’” Kipyegon said. “Dare to try, and you never know what will happen.” In the 5000m, Chebet clocked 13:58.06 with a blistering 61-second last lap. Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay had the previous record of 14:00.21 set at the 2023 Pre Classic. Chebet, the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion, is also the only woman to break 29 minutes in the 10,000m (from the 2024 Pre Classic) …About 90 minutes after Chebet’s feat, Kipyegon took the 1500m, the last event of the day, in 3:48.68. She previously lowered the world record to 3:49.11 in 2023 and 3:49.04 in 2024. She won the 1500m at the last three Olympics. NBC