UN Rights Chief: ‘Arbitrary Killings in Sudan Have Tripled’
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Volker Türk, has issued a stark warning that Sudan is spiralling further into lawlessness, with escalating violence in North Darfur and Kordofan and a surge in civilian killings. Speaking at the 59th session of the Human Rights Council yesterday, Türk said, “Sudan is plunging deeper into chaos and lawlessness, without the attention this situation demands.” He raised alarm over intensifying hostilities, citing “grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.” According to Türk, the OHCHR recorded a threefold increase in the number of arbitrary killings of civilians between February and April. He attributed the sharp rise primarily to “summary executions by the Sudanese Armed Forces [SAF] of alleged collaborators in Khartoum.” The warning comes amid growing reports of atrocities in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, where the SAF and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have engaged in fierce battles for weeks, displacing thousands and compounding the humanitarian crisis. Radio Dabanga
Sudan’s RSF Says It Seized Key Northern Area near Libyan Border
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Monday they had captured a strategic oasis in the Northern State near the borders with Libya and Egypt, a move that could help the paramilitary group consolidate its supply lines. The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese army for control of the country in a war that has lasted over two years. An RSF advisor, Mohamed Mukhtar, told Sudan Tribune that his forces had taken control of “Karb al-Toum,” an oasis near the Jebel Arkenu mountain range. The capture follows the RSF’s stated seizure of the strategic “Triangle” area on Saturday, a junction point between Sudan, Libya and Egypt…The advance comes two weeks after RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemetti, said in a video on June 2 that his forces were moving into the Northern State…Analysts say the RSF is trying to secure a supply route from Libya to reinforce its operations in the Kordofan and Darfur regions, where it has been seeking to cement its control. The development coincides with an intensified RSF offensive on El Fasher, the army’s last stronghold in the Darfur region. Sources on the ground described an RSF attack on the city on Sunday as the most violent yet, part of an effort to tighten its siege. Sudan Tribune
DR Congo: Human Rights Violations Could Amount to War Crimes, UN Experts Say
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwandan-backed rebels, Congolese troops, and allied militias have all committed human rights abuses, some possibly amounting to war crimes, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in Geneva on Monday…After capturing cities and villages in early 2025, the M23 Rwanda-backed rebels arbitrarily arrested police officers and large numbers of other civilians, including children, the UN human rights office reported. According to witnesses, those captured were, and are, still being held in “inhumane conditions,” and many were forcibly recruited into the ranks of the M23. The Mission is also investigating alleged arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances of suspected M23 supporters by the military intelligence arm of the DRC armed forces. OHCHR also reported that members of the M23 carried out summary and extrajudicial executions, which likely amount to war crimes, said [Volker] Türk…UN human rights is also investigating reports of death threats, detention and other reprisals against human rights defenders, journalists, and members of civil society perceived as critical of the M23; including the alleged killings of at least two activists. UN News
Uganda Passes Law to Try Civilians in Military Courts
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday signed a new law allowing civilians to be tried in military courts that critics said could be used against opposition leaders ahead of next year’s election. The new law comes despite a ruling by the Supreme Court in late January that it was unconstitutional for civilians to be tried in military courts as was the case for opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Besigye, 69, was abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November and re-emerged a few days later at a military court in Uganda, where he was charged with treason, which carries a potential death penalty. Following the Supreme Court ruling, his case was moved to a civilian court. But the new law provides for “exceptional circumstances” under which civilians can be subjected to military law, including the “unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment,” one of the other charges Besigye is facing. The signing of the law was announced by Uganda’s parliament on X. Besigye’s lawyer Erias Lukwago told AFP the law was designed to facilitate the “illegal detention and trial of Besigye and others”. Besigye has been in jail for more than the six-month legal limit for detention without trial. AFP
Tuaregs in Mali and Burkina File ICC Complaint against Armies, Russian Allies
Several Tuareg community organisations filed a complaint with the office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Sunday, according to RFI’s correspondent. The complaint targets the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), the Burkinabe Forces, and Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which recently replaced the Wagner group in Africa. The charities Imouhagh International, Kel Akal, Diaspora of the United States, and the Azawad Solidarity Association accuse them of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The groups say the crimes against humanity and war crimes reported to the prosecutor of the ICC have been committed in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2022. They include murders, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, looting, and torture, including the discovery in April in Kwala, Mali, of 60 bodies of civilians, visibly tortured, according to these organisations. They point to the use of mercenaries from Africa Corps – the former Wagner – in the repressive operations carried out by the armies of both countries…With this complaint lodged in The Hague, the four plaintiff organisations say they intend to make “a major political and legal statement” to enable Sahelian victims to obtain “recognition, justice and reparation.” RFI
Barrick Mining’s Gold Complex Placed under State Control in Mali
Canada’s Barrick Mining had its Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali placed under state control by a court on Monday in a major escalation of a dispute over taxes and ownership. A former Malian health minister, Soumana Makadji, will take over as provisional administrator for six months, the presiding judge said. Barrick said it will appeal the decision. The move follows actions by the Malian government to block gold exports and seize gold stocks held by Barrick’s subsidiaries. Barrick in a statement said it believes those actions, which led to the temporary suspension of its operations, were unjustified…If reopened, the mine could bring in revenue worth at least $1 billion over the next year, according to Reuters estimates, as gold prices soar. The standoff, however, risks repelling potential investors in Mali, while Barrick’s shares have lagged those of its peers. The two sides have been in negotiations since 2023 over the implementation of a new mining code that raises taxes and gives the government a greater share in the gold mines…The company, formerly Barrick Gold, suspended operations at the complex in mid-January after authorities seized three metric tons of its gold stock. The government had blocked its exports in November 2024. Barrick has since removed the complex from its overall output forecast for 2025. Reuters
Togo Suspends French Broadcasters for Three Months
Togo on Monday, June 16, suspended French broadcasters RFI and France 24 for three months, the media regulator said, accusing both of transmitting “inexact and tendentious” content. “Several recent broadcasts relayed inaccurate, biased and even factually incorrect statements, undermining the stability of republican institutions and the country’s image,” Togo’s High Authority of Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) said in a statement. The temporary ban further reduces the two French public broadcasters’ availability in West Africa after they were slapped with multi-year suspensions in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, a trio of Sahelian countries currently run by military juntas…The announcement comes after anti-government protests last week that shook the capital, Lomé. Dozens of people were arrested after police dispersed protesters with tear gas on the night of June 5 in several districts, including near the presidential palace…Togolese opposition parties and civil society groups on Thursday demanded Gnassingbe step down, urging a civil disobedience campaign following last week’s youth-led demonstrations. Le Monde with AFP
Nigerian State Signs Peace Pact with Criminal Gangs: Official
Authorities in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state struck a peace deal at the weekend with criminal gangs to try to end years of violence, a government official said Monday. Katsina is one of several states in northwestern and central Nigeria terrorised by criminal gangs that the locals refer to as bandits. The gangs raid villages, kill and abduct residents as well as torch homes after looting them. The gangs maintain camps in a huge forest straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna states in the northwest region and Niger state in the country’s central zone and have carried out mass kidnappings of students from schools in recent years. On Saturday, a dozen bandit kingpins met with local officials and community leaders in the town of Danmusa, where they renounced violence and pledged to turn a new leaf, Nasiru Mu’azu, Katsina state internal commissioner said…As a mark of goodwill, the bandits surrendered weapons and released 17 hostages, with the promise to free more people they were holding…With no ideological leaning, the bandits are motivated by financial gains but their increasing alliance with jihadists from the northeast has been raising concern among authorities and security analysts. AFP
Death Toll from an Attack by Gunmen in North-central Nigeria Reaches 150, Survivors Say
The death toll from an attack by gunmen over the weekend in north-central Nigeria has climbed to 150, survivors said Monday as the villagers were still digging through burned homes, counting their dead and looking for dozens of people still missing. Assailants stormed Benue state’s Yelewata community late on Friday night, opening fire on villagers who were asleep and setting their homes ablaze, survivors and the local farmers union said. Many of those killed were sheltering in a local market after fleeing violence in other parts of the state. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the killings, but such attacks are common in Nigeria’s northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The prolonged conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up arms…The gunmen also burned food stores in the local market, razing a year’s harvest that included rice and yam, staple food mainly exported from Benue to other parts of Nigeria. AP
At Least 20 Dead in Chad Community Violence: Lawmakers
At least 20 people have died with 16 others injured in almost a week of intercommunal violence in a province in eastern Chad, parliamentary and local sources said Monday. In a statement sent to AFP, 14 parliamentarians from Ouaddai province, mostly from the ruling party in N’Djamena, said they “strongly condemn these vile acts” and demanded authorities increase efforts to ensure local people’s safety. Government delegate to the province Ismael Yamouda Djorbo, who visited the scene, described the violence as “terrorism” without giving a toll. One local source who wished to remain anonymous said the unrest started last Tuesday when two armed youths from the Zaghawa community stole the motorcycle of a member of the Ouaddai community, sparking an armed altercation which left eight dead, including the motorcycle thieves. The conflict between the two communities then widened Saturday when at least 12 Ouaddai residents were killed during an attack by Zaghawa…For several decades, eastern Chad, a key strategic region on the border with Sudan, has been plagued by inter-community conflicts with indigenous Ouaddai residents, mainly farmers, pitted against Arab tribes or Zaghawa herders…The latest massacre comes less than a month after the deaths of 42 people in Mandakao in southwest Chad, according to an official toll, amid a dispute over delimitation of grazing and agricultural areas between Fulani herders and indigenous Ngambaye farmers. AFP
Kenya’s Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat ‘Steps Aside’
Kenya’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat says he has opted to “step aside” following the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, pending completion of investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. Lagat was the complainant in a case that led to Ojwang’s arrest in Homa Bay in western Kenya. In his statement signed on Monday, Mr Lagat said the functions of the office will be taken up by his ‘deputy’, till the conclusion of the ongoing investigations. The police command structure, however, does not provide for a deputy position to the office, as the rank immediately below the DIG is that of regional commanders or formation commanders. Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and blogger, died hours after he was arrested from his rural home by detectives for allegedly defaming the deputy policy boss in a social media post…Initial police report claimed that the suspect had hit his head against a cell wall, suggesting he had committed suicide. But an autopsy report showed that he was most likely tortured and assaulted. Lagat bowed to public pressure over the case, which threatens to tarnish his three-decade-long career. The East African
FAO, WFP Warn of Worsening Food Insecurity in South Sudan
Macroeconomic instability, conflict, and flooding are expected to worsen food insecurity in South Sudan, already at catastrophic levels for parts of the population, during the outlook period, according to a new report…According to the report, South Sudan will continue to face serious economic challenges due to the residual impacts of the prolonged disruption of oil revenues in 2024. Despite some signs of currency stabilization, inflationary pressures persist amid the slow recovery of oil exports. The sharp depreciation of the South Sudanese pound in 2024 continues to drive inflation in staple food prices, with prices in March 2025 nearly five times higher than in the same month the previous year…Forecasts for above-average rainfall between May and November 2025 could support improved crop yields in southern bimodal areas, where harvests are expected to begin in August, according to the report. However, the risk of severe flooding remains high in flood-prone areas, particularly in the Sudd wetlands…FAO and WFP recommend the dissemination of flood-risk and early-warning information to at-risk communities through radio and existing Disaster Risk Management committees in flood-prone areas, enabling populations to relocate and safeguard productive assets. It also suggested the provision of livestock vaccination and prophylactic treatments to prevent flood-related livestock diseases, particularly Anthrax, which poses risks to both animals and humans. Radio Tamazuj
‘We Were Sinking. I Let Her Go’: How Growing Numbers of Women Are Risking All to Reach Europe by Boat
The tragic [May 28] drowning of seven women and girls just metres from the port of La Restinga has highlighted the growing number of female migrants crossing to the Canary Islands from west Africa…More than 20,000 migrants arrived in El Hierro in 2024, according to the Red Cross – almost double the island’s population. The incident also shone a light on the large numbers of women and girls now attempting the long and dangerous migration route from Africa – they made up almost half of the passengers on the capsized boat. Since 2021, nearly 15% of irregular entries to the Canary Islands have been women, according to data collected by the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (Cear). Most of them are coming from the Sahel region, according to the UN’s refugee agency, which says escalating conflicts have forcibly displaced millions of people from Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. The Guardian
How Technology Is Helping African Countries Fight Malaria from the Skies
Kenya sees more than 5 million malaria cases per year – and 12,000 deaths from the disease. Malaria continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to child survival and economic productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. But in some parts of the region, a quiet revolution is in the air – quite literally. In Ghana and Sierra Leone, drone technology is being used to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds before outbreaks erupt. These drones, powered by artificial intelligence-enabled cameras, patrol fields, wetlands and riverbanks. They scan for standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs. When an infestation location is found, the drones deposit larvicide at the infestation point before the insects even hatch. This initiative, introduced by governments and local partners with support from Japanese start-up SORA Technology, is already showing good results…[SORA Technology co-founder and CEO Yosuke Kaneko] says his team works in close proximity with ministries of health, community leadership and local drone pilots. “The technology only works if the people it’s supposed to help trust it. That’s why training locals and building capacity in-country is at the core of what we do.” RFI