Wagner Group Leaving Mali after Heavy Losses but Russia’s Africa Corps to Remain
The Russia-backed Wagner Group said Friday it is leaving Mali after more than three and a half years of fighting Islamic extremists and insurgents in the country. Despite Wagner’s announcement, Russia will continue to have a mercenary presence in the West African country. The Africa Corps, Russia’s state-controlled paramilitary force, said on its Telegram channel Friday that Wagner’s departure would not introduce any changes and the Russian contingent will remain in Mali…Moscow initially expanded its military cooperation with African nations by using the Wagner Group of mercenaries. But since the group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in 2023, after mounting a brief armed rebellion in Russia that challenged the rule of President Vladimir Putin, Moscow has been developing the Africa Corps as a rival force to Wagner…Africa Corps is under direct command of the Russian defense ministry. According to U.S. officials, there are around 2,000 mercenaries in Mali. It is unclear how many are with Wagner and how many are part of the Africa Corps…The announcement of Wagner’s withdrawal comes as the Malian army and the Russian mercenaries suffered heavy losses during attacks by the al-Qaida linked group JNIM in recent weeks. AP
Mali Political Activist Freed after Monthlong Abduction
A leading political activist whose family said that he was abducted by Mali’s military authorities has been released after a month in captivity, his relatives said Sunday. Alassane Abba, one of the leaders of the former political party Codem, was dropped off along a road in Mali’s capital, Bamako, on Thursday, Alhousseini Jannatta Alassane, his son, told The Associated Press…Abba, who was the secretary-general of the Codem party, was seized and taken away on May 9 shortly after he spoke out against the crackdown on civic rights in the country and the ruling junta’s failure to hold an election since a coup in 2021. His arrest came amid pro-democracy demonstrations in Bamako that criticized the growing dictatorship under the junta and called for the return of democracy. Several political figures are still detained after criticizing the military government’s power…In May, Gen. Assimi Goita, president of the country’s transitional government, signed a decree dissolving political parties following a demonstration by several hundred pro-democracy activists. AP
Rwanda Quits Central African Bloc in Dispute with Congo
Rwanda has said it would withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), underscoring diplomatic tensions in the region over an offensive this year by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo. Kigali had expected to assume the chairmanship of the 11-member bloc at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea. Instead, the bloc kept Equatorial Guinea in the role, which Rwanda’s foreign ministry denounced as a violation of its rights…It wasn’t clear if Rwanda’s exit from the bloc would take immediate effect…M23 seized eastern Congo’s two largest cities earlier this year, with the advance leaving thousands dead and raising concerns of an all-out regional war…ECCAS was established in the 1980s to foster cooperation in areas like security and economic affairs among its member states. Reuters
Qatar Presents Draft Peace Proposal to Congo and M23 Rebels, Source Says
Qatar has presented a draft peace proposal to Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels after months of mediation in Doha, and the two sides will consult their leaders before resuming talks, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Thursday…Sources from both the Congolese government and M23 camps told Reuters on Thursday that some members of the delegations had left Doha but cast doubt on whether there had been significant progress in the talks so far. “The draft is not recent and has not been updated for over a month. The draft has nothing to do with what we proposed and takes more into account Kinshasa’s expectations,” said an M23 source who insisted on anonymity to discuss ongoing diplomacy…The source briefed on the negotiations had a more positive take, saying the talks had “entered a deeper phase, with both sides engaging on the core issues underlying the conflict.” Qatar successfully brokered a surprise meeting in March between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Both leaders called for a ceasefire after the meeting. Reuters
Students in Rebel-held Eastern Congo Brave Insecurity to Take Exams
Tens of thousands of secondary school students sat for state exams in rebel-held eastern Congo [last] week, a complicated logistical feat requiring rare cooperation between the government and M23 rebels. The state exams, administered across the sprawling central African country for students hoping to go to university, began on Monday and will continue through mid-June. Administering them throughout the east of Democratic Republic of Congo required having education officials personally escort documents and other materials from the capital Kinshasa into M23-held cities and towns…While M23 has previously said it seeks the ouster of Tshisekedi’s government, the group’s leader Bertrand Bisimwa told Reuters that it still recognised Kinshasa as the administrator of national exams. Reuters
Why Sudan’s War Is Landing on Britain’s Doorstep
A coalition of Sudanese refugees, human rights defenders and civil society groups has called on the UK to investigate Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces for genocide and war crimes, following the submission of a harrowing 142-page dossier to Scotland Yard on Tuesday…The letter, signed by more than 100 individuals and organisations, calls on the UK to investigate RSF leaders under universal jurisdiction laws, share the evidence with the International Criminal Court (ICC), and support global accountability measures…The dossier was submitted to the UK’s War Crimes Unit, part of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, which has the power to investigate serious international crimes under the principle of universal jurisdiction. This legal doctrine allows the UK to investigate and prosecute crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, even if committed outside its borders, where there is a connection to the UK through victims, suspects or territory. The UK is home to a significant Sudanese diaspora, including survivors of the current conflict and past atrocities in Darfur. Some have provided testimony or evidence in support of the submission. Campaigners also warn that RSF commanders or their affiliates could seek haven in the UK or elsewhere in Europe if no action is taken…If the UK launches an investigation or pursues charges, it would signal a major step in the international accountability process and could help pressure other governments to act. The legal push comes months after the US formally designated atrocities by the RSF as genocide in late 2024. Yet despite what campaigners describe as “mounting evidence,” the International Criminal Court has not indicted any senior RSF leaders to date. The Africa Report
Over 100 New Mass Graves Found in Sudan’s Capital, Official Says
At least 117 new mass graves have been discovered across Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, a state government official said, as the country’s 14-month conflict leaves thousands dead and cemeteries overflowing. The war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to the burial of bodies in makeshift sites, including homes and streets, the Khartoum state government source told Reuters on condition of anonymity…Earlier this year, authorities began exhuming bodies from informal graves in Omdurman to move them to official cemeteries, the state official said. The remains of military personnel from both warring factions were among those exhumed and reburied in recognized graveyards. According to the official, the newly found burial sites differ in capacity, with some holding dozens of bodies and others as few as three or four. Sudan Tribune
Somali Opposition Boycotts Talks with President, Citing Exclusion of Key Stakeholders
Somalia’s opposition leaders on Sunday formally announced a boycott of national talks scheduled by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud from June 15 to 22, denouncing the process as a politically selective effort that undermines inclusive dialogue…They argued the talks lack transparency and inclusivity, warning that the approach threatens national unity and the legitimacy of any outcomes from the discussions. President Mohamud, whose current term has less than one year remaining, is under growing pressure from international partners to convene a credible national dialogue aimed at resolving long-standing disputes over the electoral process and constitutional reforms. The boycott comes amid heightened political tensions between the federal government and several regional administrations, raising concerns over Somalia’s fragile state-building process and the future of its democratic transition. Garowe Online
South Sudan Security Seizes Interior Minister’s Gadgets
South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) has confiscated a smartphone, laptop, and internet modem from Angelina Teny, the country’s interior minister and wife of detained First Vice President Riek Machar, opposition officials said. Teny, a senior member of Machar’s opposition SPLM-IO party, resides in her husband’s official residence. SPLM-IO Spokesperson Pal Mai Deng told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that security agents seized her devices to restrict her communication and movement…“The NSS initially told Angelina she was not under house arrest like Machar, but fearing she would be blocked from returning, she chose not to leave,” the official said…Tensions between President Salva Kiir and Machar—signatories of the 2018 peace deal—have intensified in recent months. The breakdown of their power-sharing agreement risks reigniting a civil war that killed roughly 400,000 people between 2013 and 2018. Radio Tamazuj
Red Cross Closes Niger Offices and Foreign Staff Leave after Junta’s Expulsion Order
The International Committee of the Red Cross announced the closure of its offices in Niger and the departure of its foreign staff, four months after the ruling junta ordered the organization to leave the country…In February, Niger’s Foreign Affairs Ministry had ordered the ICRC to close its offices and leave the country. No official reason was given for the military junta’s decision to shut down the organization’s operations in the country at the time. The ICRC said it had been in dialogue with Niger’s authorities since February to understand the reasons for their decision and provide any necessary clarification but that these efforts were unsuccessful…The humanitarian organization had been active in the West African country since 1990, mainly helping people displaced by violence by Islamic extremists, food insecurity and natural disasters. According to the organization, it provided humanitarian aid to more than 2 million people in Niger. AP
Togo Opposition Slams Arrests During Banned Protests
Togo opposition parties and civil society groups denounced Sunday what they called “arbitrary” arrests during protests broken up by police in the capital Lome last week. Dozens of protesters were dispersed with tear gas overnight Thursday to Friday in several parts of Lome, including near the presidential palace. They had gathered in response to a call by a popular rapper, Aamron, to denounce arrests of dissenting voices, rising electricity prices and constitutional changes by the government of President Faure Gnassingbe, in power since 2005. Protests have been banned in Togo since 2022, following a deadly attack at Lome’s main market, though public meetings are still allowed. [The “Hands Off My Constitution” coalition of opposition parties and civic groups] published a list of seven names of arrested individuals, including a doctor whose detention was also condemned by the National Medical Council. AFP
UN Welcomes New Libya Safety and Rights Committees
The United Nations mission in Libya on Saturday welcomed the formation of two committees by the Libyan presidential council to address safety and human rights after recent deadly clashes in Tripoli…Last month, [Libya’s] capital was rocked by days of deadly fighting between rival armed groups that left at least eight people dead, according to the UN. The violence was sparked by the killing of Abdelghani al-Kikli, the leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) armed group, by the government-backed 444 Brigade, which later took on another rival faction, Radaa…The safety committee was tasked with drafting a plan to disarm non-state actors in Tripoli and strengthen the control of official security forces, the council said. And the human rights committee will monitor conditions in detention centres and review cases of people detained without judicial oversight. This came after UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk raised alarm over “gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities” run by the SSA group. UNSMIL said it was “committed to providing technical support” to the newly formed committees. AFP
54 Migrants Rescued from Mediterranean Oil Platform
Over 50 migrants were headed to the Italian island of Lampedusa Sunday after a charity ship rescued them from an abandoned oil platform in the Mediterranean, where one woman gave birth. The vessel Astral, operated by the Spain-based NGO Open Arms, rescued the 54 people overnight, the group said in a statement. The migrants had been trapped on the oil platform for three days after their rubber boat shipwrecked following their departure from Libya on Tuesday, Open Arms said. On Friday, one of the migrants gave birth to a boy, while another woman had given birth days before. Two other young children were among the group, Open Arms said. Later Sunday, the charity said that, following the rescue of those on the oil platform, the Astral came upon another 109 people, including four people in the water. That group, which included 10 children, had also departed from Libya, it said. AFP
South Africa: Poachers’ Partners — When the Kruger National Park’s Rangers Turn Rogue
Despite integrity tests and modern surveillance technology, insiders at the Kruger National Park reveal that corruption persists systemically, fuelled by poverty-level wages, predatory debt cycles and communal ties binding rogue rangers to syndicates…The syndicates don’t randomly recruit collaborators, [a mid-level Kruger manager involved in anti-poaching operations and coordination] said. “They monitor you. They track your social media and follow your movements. A beer at a soccer match turns into a recruitment attempt. And if you say no? Your wife gets a call. Your brother’s goats get slaughtered. That’s the level of coercion we’re dealing with.” …Some rangers were co-opted because of their familial relations with rhino poaching syndicate members, [a former SANParks ranger said]…Hendrick Sithembiso, a former field ranger trainer at the Southern Africa Wildlife College within the Kruger National Park, advocates for a rotational system among anti-poaching teams to prevent infiltration…Thobile Zulu-Molobi, the spokesperson for the minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, Dion George, responded that the Kruger National Park was rolling out a Ranger Services Integrity Management Plan to address drivers of misconduct, including corruption. Daily Maverick
Jailed Egyptian-UK Activist Looks ‘Very Thin’ After 98 Days on Hunger Strike: Sister
Jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah has lost nearly a third of his body weight after spending 98 days on hunger strike, his sister said Friday following a brief Eid visit to his prison outside Cairo…Abdel-Fattah, 43, began refusing food in March in solidarity with his mother, Laila Soueif, a renowned academic who has herself been on hunger strike for 250 days to demand her son’s release…In May, a United Nations panel of experts said his detention was arbitrary and called for his immediate release…Abdel-Fattah, a leading voice during Egypt’s 2011 uprising, has spent most of the past decade behind bars under successive governments. He was most recently arrested in 2019 and sentenced to five years for “spreading false news” after reposting a Facebook post about police brutality. AFP