Nigerian Army Rescues 360 Abducted People from Boko Haram Enclave — Official
The Nigerian Army says the troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), a joint task force in the North-east, have rescued 360 abducted people from a Boko Haram camp in the Mandara mountain axis of Gwoza, Borno State. … PREMIUM TIMES reported that Boko Haram insurgents abducted 416 people, including minors, when they invaded Ngoshe in March. … In a statement on Sunday, the acting spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, Haruna Sani, said the rescue mission was the result of weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational planning. According to him, the operation was launched after security agencies received credible intelligence pinpointing the location of the hostages and identifying an insurgent support network sustaining the camp. He said military intelligence personnel subsequently combined human intelligence, signals intelligence, and surveillance operations using unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols to map the area, monitor insurgent activities and assess the condition of the captives. Mr Sani, a lieutenant colonel, said a breakthrough came after intelligence operatives successfully penetrated the terrorist network, providing detailed information on the exact location of the abductees, the disposition of insurgent commanders and planned movement routes. Premium Times
Mali’s Generals Promised to Bring Peace. Things Are Now Much Worse.
For years, Mali had been buffeted by armed groups and many Malians felt the government and its French allies had failed to quell the violence. With the military in charge [after a coup in 2020], the junta said, everything would change for the better. Things have not turned out that way. A key city in the north has fallen to a new jihadist-rebel alliance. Mali’s defense minister was recently assassinated in his home. Russian mercenaries allied with the junta were forced to retreat in battle. These coordinated attacks have been described by experts as the most severe blow ever suffered by any Malian regime. So far, the junta and its president, Assimi Goïta, have survived, but analysts say the jihadists are more powerful and sophisticated than ever, forming alliances as they rampage across the country. … And the military’s embrace of the same hard-line approach as the previous government has not brought peace. Instead, the conflict has spiraled. … Even die-hard supporters of the junta have started to express doubts in its strategy. “I really believed in change and the security of our country,” said Mahamane Maiga, a butcher in Bamako whose business has been hurt by the deteriorating security situation. “They told us everything was fine. But it was all a lie.” Meanwhile, the reality of the junta’s military failures is becoming increasingly difficult to conceal. The government’s campaign to stifle dissent, including banning media outlets, has made the true death toll from April 25 attacks impossible to quantify. The New York Times
French Diplomat in Mali Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for ‘Undermining State Security’
A Malian court has jailed a French embassy official for 20 years for “undermining state security” in a new blow to relations between the west African nation and its former colonial ruler, judicial sources told AFP on Friday. France lambasted the “baseless accusations” made by the junta against the official who was detained in August last year. … At the time of his arrest, Malian authorities accused the official, identified as Yann V., of working for French intelligence, and railed against “foreign states” trying to destabilise the jihadist-plagued country. The official was detained on August 13 in the company of Malian officers, who have since been accused of plotting a coup to overthrow the military junta that took power in a 2021 coup. All the officers were dismissed and none of them have since gone on trial. After the arrest, Paris suspended counterterrorism cooperation with Mali and expelled two Malian diplomats. France insisted after the sentence that the charges against the official, who was officially assigned to the French embassy in Bamako, were without merit. France 24
Sudanese Political Forces Reach Rare Consensus on Peace Roadmap in Addis Talks
A broad coalition of Sudanese political and civil forces announced on Thursday that they had reached a rare consensus on a shared vision for launching a peace process leading to a comprehensive political settlement to end the war — the most significant agreement between Sudanese parties since 2021. The agreement was reached during meetings held in Addis Ababa facilitated by the Quintet mechanism, which comprises the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the Arab League, and IGAD. The forces that reached the consensus include the Sumoud Alliance, the Democratic Bloc, the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party-Original, the Popular Congress Party, the National Umma Party, and a number of civil society, women’s, and youth organisations. In a joint statement, the forces said the meetings produced “an agreement on launching a Sudanese peace track through a preparatory committee that will initiate the political process and pave the way for a comprehensive peaceful settlement.” They said the consensus reflects a growing will among political and civil forces to work together to end the suffering caused by the war, counter hate speech and racism, promote dialogue, and repair the damage done to Sudan’s social fabric. Sudan Tribune
Sudan: Drone Strikes Kill at Least 13 in Sudan’s North Kordofan, Emergency Lawyers Say
At least 13 civilians were killed and dozens of others injured on Friday and Saturday during drone strikes targeting various areas in the Hamrat al-Sheikh locality of North Kordofan state, a legal rights group said. Hamrat al-Sheikh has been subject to continuous airstrikes by the Sudanese army due to its strategic location connecting Kordofan, Northern state, and the Darfur region. The Emergency Lawyers group said in a statement that a drone targeted the market in the Abu Zuaima area of Hamrat al-Sheikh on Saturday morning, killing 11 civilians and injuring dozens of others in an initial toll that is expected to rise. The attack came less than 24 hours after similar strikes targeted villages and civilian vehicles in the same area, killing at least two people and injuring five others, the group added, describing it as an ongoing escalation targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. Previous airstrikes on the area have killed dozens of civilians, destroyed water sources, and forced large numbers of residents to flee to neighbouring villages such as Sawani, Al-Farda, and Um Sanat, which lack basic services. Sudan Tribune
Turkish Intelligence Mediates to Defuse Somalia Election Crisis
Turkish intelligence officials currently visiting Mogadishu are scheduled to hold fresh talks with Somali opposition figures on Monday, sources said, in a high-stakes diplomatic push aimed at breaking the country’s political deadlock. The delegation, which has spent several days in the Somali capital conducting separate shuttle diplomacy meetings with opposition leaders and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, will brief the opposition on the outcomes of their discussions with the federal government. The exclusive, closed-door meeting—expected to take place in the coming hours with a select group of opposition representatives—is widely seen as a crucial stepping stone toward engineering direct face-to-face talks between President Hassan Sheikh and his political rivals. Tensions have simmered in the Horn of Africa nation over the framework of the upcoming national elections, an issue that will top the agenda of the Turkish-mediated talks. Ankara has long been a key military and economic partner for Somalia, frequently stepping in to mediate internal political crises and regional disputes. Garowe Online
DR Congo Ceasefire A ‘Health Emergency’ Given Ebola Outbreak: EU
An Ebola outbreak raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has made it even more urgent to broker a ceasefire for the conflict-ravaged region, the European Union’s crisis management commissioner said during a visit Sunday. The EU said it had flown in 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid Sunday — including medicine, tents and protective gear to fight the haemorrhagic fever — to hard-to-reach Ituri province, the epicentre of the epidemic. Ituri is difficult to access because of poor roads, and is plagued by insecurity because of numerous armed groups operating in the region, including the Rwanda-backed M23, which has seized vast swathes of territory. Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner for crisis management, visited the provincial capital, Bunia, calling for humanitarian and health workers in the region to be guaranteed access to people in need. “A ceasefire was already a political necessity. Now it’s become a health emergency,” she told journalists. AFP
Zimbabwe: People’s Summit Rejects Constitutional Amendment Bill, Demands Referendum
A coalition of civic groups, labour unions, students, faith organisations, war veterans and community activists has rejected Zimbabwe’s proposed Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill (CAB3) describing it as a threat to democracy and calling for a national referendum on the proposed changes. The position was outlined in a communiqué issued after a People’s Summit held in Harare on Saturday, where participants said they had gathered to deliberate on the implications of the constitutional amendment bill for the country’s future. … Participants argued that the Constitution represented the collective will of Zimbabweans and should not be altered without broad public participation. “Our Constitution is more than a legal document. It is our national covenant, forged through sacrifice, struggle, dialogue, and hope,” the communiqué said. A central demand emerging from the summit was that any constitutional changes should be subjected to a national referendum. … The summit adopted 11 resolutions including rejecting CAB3 in its entirety demanding a referendum, strengthening civic education and building a broad coalition against the proposed amendment. It also signalled the possibility of future protests, demonstrations, stayaways and other forms of peaceful civic action should authorities proceed without a referendum. “Our struggle is not against Zimbabwe. It is for Zimbabwe,” the communiqué said. Delegates urged citizens to unite in defence of constitutional governance. 263 Chat
Uganda: Besigye Lawyers Demand Prison Access
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Registrar of the High Court Criminal Division, lawyers representing Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Mr Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, said they had not received any confirmation that the court-ordered arrangements for consultations at Luzira Prison had been implemented, despite the trial being scheduled to start on June 11. … In the June 5 letter, M/s Lukwago & Co Advocates said Justice Emmanuel Baguma had directed that prison authorities facilitate counsels’ access to the accused persons during weekends and public holidays and provide conditions that would support effective lawyer-client consultations. However, the defence says those arrangements have not materialised. … In the letter, the lawyers requested a dedicated interview room, free of state officers, and large enough to accommodate between 15 and 20 lawyers and assistants to preserve confidentiality and legal privilege during consultations. They also asked for unrestricted access to the prison facility between 8am and 6pm to allow lengthy consultations with the accused persons, review evidence, identify potential witnesses and prepare for trial. … They also sought permission for an information technology expert and a forensic examiner of their choice to assist in trial preparations. Monitor
How Mexican Cartels Turned South African Farms into Meth Production Hubs
In the quiet mining town of Swartruggens, a small courthouse is preparing to decide whether five Mexicans accused of a major illegal drug operation will be granted bail or remain in custody. Their arrests followed a raid on a remote farm in North West province, where police said they uncovered a large methamphetamine laboratory worth about one billion rand ($60m). The case is one of several pointing to a pattern taking shape in South Africa’s rural interior. … When police moved in on the North West farm in May, they found 481 kilos of methamphetamine, containers of chemicals and firearms. Among those arrested were Mexican nationals Fabian Astorga, Jesus Alonso Medina Astorga, Luis Alberto Ramirez Rios, Jose Andres Medina and Jacquelin Lopez Madrid, alongside co-accused South Africans. All the sites followed the same pattern: remote farmland, long distances from towns and enough isolation for criminal activity to go undetected. … Mexicans are increasingly being found working alongside local collaborators in rural production sites, suggesting a shift from trafficking meth into Africa to producing it there. … The logic is straightforward: produce closer to consumers, cut transport costs and reduce exposure to border and maritime enforcement. … US Africa Command officials have warned that Mexican cartels are now not only moving drugs through Africa, but also producing them on the continent. Al Jazeera
UN Blames Online Disinformation for Protests outside Libya Offices
The United Nations said on Friday it is deeply concerned by violent protests outside its offices in Libya this week and blamed social media for fueling disinformation about the world body’s work in the country. Hundreds of Libyan demonstrators blocked off the office of the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) in Tripoli on Thursday during a protest against migrants who travel to Libya in search of work or passage to Europe. It was the largest of several recent demonstrations against migrants, whom some Libyans blame for social and economic problems that have become more visible during 15 years of conflict and political division in the North African country. … U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said countering disinformation in Libya was “extremely challenging” and called for cooperation from social media platforms to address the problem. UNSMIL – the United Nations Support Mission in Libya – said on Thursday there is no U.N. resettlement program in Libya and that UNHCR works to help people fleeing war with solutions outside the country, including evacuation to third countries and voluntary return when conditions allow. Since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, Libya has become a transit route for hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, often in sub-Saharan Africa, with many risking dangerous journeys across the desert or the Mediterranean. Reuters
Libya Presses On Rebuilding Flood-ravaged Derna But Trauma Lingers
Nearly three years after a catastrophic storm tore through eastern Libya’s port city of Derna killing almost 4,000 people the city is getting back on its feet, but the trauma persists. New roads and bridges, thousands of new homes, and a hospital have risen from the rubble since a storm swept the coastal city in 2023, leaving thousands missing and over 40,000 homeless. Memories from that September disaster remain vivid: apartment blocks ripped open, bodies buried beneath debris, and cars swept into the sea. But reconstruction provides a glimmer of hope here, where some residents said it helps them cope with the tragedy they lived through. … Adel Bokhsam, a reconstruction official with whom AFP visited construction sites, said a host of projects are currently underway, which he said were about 80 percent completed. … They included 3,500 apartments for displaced families, nine bridges — four crossing the riverbed, with some having been turned into a public promenade — new roads, a desalination plant, new schools, a university and a 600-bed hospital. … The 2023 storm exposed years of neglect, particularly the deteriorating dams built in the 1970s. Public anger erupted after the disaster, with residents accusing local authorities of corruption and some even setting fire to the home of the then-mayor, nephew of the eastern administration’s parliament speaker Aguila Salah, a Haftar ally. AFP
The Small African Country with Big World Cup Dreams
[Cape Verde’s] Blue Sharks, as the team is known, is one of the surprise qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. With fewer than 600,000 inhabitants, Cape Verde is the third smallest country by population to ever reach the world’s biggest sporting event (after Iceland in 2018 and Curacao, also in 2026). Cape Verde’s national team combines local talent with a raft of foreign-born players, including centre-back Roberto Lopes, who was born in Ireland to an Irish mother and Cape Verdean father, and Logan Costa, who was born in France to Cape Verdean parents and plays for Villarreal in Spain. The combination of local and international talent has proven magically effective. Cape Verde won seven of their 10 games in World Cup qualifiers, losing just once and scoring a huge upset win at home against African heavyweights Cameroon. The World Cup will be another level. Ranked 69th in the world, the Blue Sharks will face tournament favourites Spain, two-time World Cup winners Uruguay and Saudi Arabia (a relative minnow but still ranked higher at 61st) in the group stage. Reuters