Chad Relocates Sudan Refugees as Army Deploys near Border
Chad has begun the emergency relocation of refugees from its border with Sudan as the army prepares to deploy to the area in response to cross-border attacks, an official from the country’s refugee agency told Reuters on Monday. President Mahamat Idriss Deby last week ordered the army to prepare to retaliate after a cross-border drone attack from Sudan killed 17 people in Chad including mourners attending a funeral service. A separate government statement last week said Chad had strengthened its security presence at the border and could potentially carry out operations on Sudanese territory. … Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan last month after clashes linked to the war killed five Chadian soldiers. But refugees continue to arrive “due to the intense fighting on the Sudanese side,” he said. The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023, has periodically spilled into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage. Reuters
Why the Sahel is Now the World’s Deadliest Region for Terrorism
The Sahel has become the world’s most deadly region for terrorism, with nearly half of all global deaths now taking place there. This marks a long-term shift away from the Middle East and North Africa, recent data shows. The Global Terrorism Index 2026, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace, said the region has led global figures for three consecutive years. Data from ACLED, a group that tracks conflict and violence worldwide, also point to high levels of violence across the Sahel. … In 2024, more than half of the 7,555 global deaths linked to terrorism were recorded in the Sahel. The trend continued in 2025, with nearly half of the 5,582 fatalities taking place there. … The rise in violence is largely linked to the growing presence of jihadist groups and changes in how they operate. Most attacks are attributed to Islamic State affiliates and JNIM, an Al-Qaeda-linked group active in Burkina Faso. RFI
Rebels in Congo Used Containers to Hold Journalists in Brutal Conditions, Advocacy Group Says
A rebel group in eastern Congo has detained civilians, including two journalists, in metal shipping containers without light or ventilation, an advocacy group said Tuesday. Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, said the Rwanda-backed M23, which controls parts of eastern Congo, used the containers in the city of Goma as makeshift detention cells under “inhumane” and “degrading” conditions. Using witness accounts, satellite imagery and photos collected in 2025, RSF said at least two journalists were among those detained in the containers, which were installed at the compound of the province’s legislative assembly in Goma. Witnesses’ identities have been withheld for security reasons. As many as 80 detainees at a time were placed inside a container, without light or ventilation and allowed out only once a day. Witnesses said they received minimal food, while some reported routine beatings. According to the testimonies, conditions were extreme — suffocating heat by day and cold at night — with deaths reported. Survivors were often held for weeks before being transferred to other locations. … The rebels’ takeover of Goma last year has worsened conditions for journalists operating in eastern Congo, where threats and attacks were already widespread. AP
Somalia: SNA Commandos Intensify Operations to Clear Militant Hideouts in Middle Shabelle
Somali National Army (SNA) special forces have intensified operations in Middle Shabelle, targeting militant hideouts as part of a broader campaign to improve security in central regions. Units of the Somali National Army, including the elite Gorgor Commandos, carried out a planned operation in areas under Warciise aimed at disrupting militant activity and limiting their movement. Commander of the 195th Battalion of the 19th Brigade, Mohamed Omar Dufaan, said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to weaken fighters blamed for insecurity in rural communities. … The operation comes amid intensified offensives by Somali forces against Al-Shabaab in Middle and Lower Shabelle regions, where the national forces have been working to reclaim territory and stabilize local communities. Goobjoog
SoDMA: Built to Save Somalia, Accused of Robbing It
[…] The Somali National Disaster Management Agency was established to be the shield of the Somali people in times of crisis. Today, it finds itself at the centre of serious allegations of corruption and a near-total absence of accountability. Perhaps most staggering is the fate of a recent donation from the Chinese government: $2 million in cash and an equal value in food aid. … The whereabouts of the entire package remain, to this day, a mystery. Critics suggest that aid stockpiled in SoDMA’s Mogadishu warehouses is being held deliberately — a cynical tactic to exploit the current political transition period by diverting supplies to the open market. … The breakdown of trust has been swift and total. Major Somali corporations now bypass SoDMA entirely, preferring to distribute aid directly to affected communities rather than entrust it to the national agency. Self-organised youth groups trusted by the public precisely because they are not the government have stepped in to perform the duties SODMA was created for. Bank accounts opened by the agency to receive public donations have produced no financial reports. No figure has been disclosed for how much was collected; no accounting has been offered for how it was spent. Goobjoog
Zimbabwe Releases on Bail Top Opponent of Changes Extending the Ppresident’s Rule
Zimbabwe released on bail the leading opponent of planned constitutional amendments that would extend the rule of the country’s 83-year-old president and have the post elected by Parliament, not the people. Former finance minister Tendai Biti was granted $500 bail on Monday, ordered to report to the police twice a week, and surrender his passport, his lawyer Chris Ndlovu said. Biti has also been barred from convening or addressing a public gathering without notifying the police as part of the bail conditions. It’s the highest profile detention yet of critics of the attempt to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his rule, due to end in 2028, by two years. Police in recent months have banned meetings and arrested people for gathering to express opposition. … Biti and other critics say any amendment extending presidential terms must be approved in a referendum. … Opposition has grown, and challenges have been filed in courts. But physical meetings have become increasingly risky. Amnesty International has described arrests as an “escalating crackdown on peaceful dissent.” … Last year, the offices of the think tank SAPES Trust were set on fire hours before it was due to host a news conference by opponents of the amendments. AP
Anger Rises Towards Authorities as Torrential Rains Kill over 80 People in Kenya
Torrential rains continue to cause widespread damage across Kenya for the third week running. Eighty-one people have lost their lives in the floods since the beginning of March, according to the latest police figures released on Sunday. More than 2,000 families have been displaced. … Critics have called for the resignation of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja. He had vowed to improve the capital’s drainage and road infrastructure when he took office in 2022, but the improvement wasn’t made. … Anger is growing against the authorities. The governor of the capital has just ordered the demolition of illegal constructions on the banks of rivers, which are being singled out as reducing the flow of water and the absorption capacity of the riverbanks. Studies indicate east Africa has been hit by more extreme rains and droughts over the past two decades. Scientists also say human-caused climate change is increasing the probability, length and severity of extreme weather events. RFI/AFP
Inside the Alleged Russian Operation to Trigger Anti-government Protests in Angola
Two Russians are due to go on trial in Angola accused of stirring up anti-government protests, conducting a campaign of disinformation, and attempting to interfere in next year’s presidential election. … According to the prosecution, the Russians acted on behalf of Africa Politology, a shadowy network of operatives and intelligence officers in Africa that emerged from the now-defunct Wagner Group, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in 2023 in a plane crash. Political operatives linked to Wagner have been active across Africa for more than a decade, in particular in the Central African Republic, Mali, and Madagascar. … Last July, Angola saw the deadliest protests since the end of a civil war between Unita and the MPLA in 2002. … Protesters were met with what activists describe as “excessive” police force. … The prosecution alleges the defendants orchestrated the protests. BBC
Benin’s Main Opposition Party Won’t Back Any Candidate in April Presidential Vote
Benin’s opposition The Democrats says it won’t endorse any candidate in the race to replace President Patrice Talon. With Benin’s presidential election just weeks away, the country’s main opposition party says it won’t be backing any candidate. The Democrats’ own nominee has been barred from standing after failing to gather enough parliamentary support. The only two candidates for the April 12 vote will be President Talon’s annointed successor, Romuald Wangari, and Paul Hounkpe of the opposition FCBE. After a meeting in Cotonou on Sunday, The Democrats’ general secretary said the party wouldn’t endorse either contender but “remains open to dialogue in a republican spirit.” … President Talon steps down next month after two terms in office. AfricaNews
Zelensky Turns to African Nation to Solve Ukraine’s Energy Crisis
Ukraine is seeking to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Mozambique as it grapples with severe energy shortages caused by relentless Russian attacks on its production infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv’s interest on Monday, after meeting with Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo. Prior to the full-scale invasion, Ukraine met almost all of its gas needs through domestic production. … Speaking on the Telegram messaging app, Mr Zelensky suggested Kyiv could offer support to the southern African nation, which is battling an Islamist insurgency, in countering its security challenges. … With capacity to produce 13 million metric tons of LNG annually, the project is expected to make Mozambique a major gas exporter. Independent
Ghana Leads UN Effort to Acknowledge Slave Trade as Crime against Humanity
Ghana is calling for global support at the United Nations for a draft resolution that would recognize the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity. The move is aimed at strengthening ongoing conversations around reparations and historical accountability. Speaking ahead of the proposal, Ghana’s Permanent Representative, Samuel Yao Kumah, urged member states to see the resolution as a step toward acknowledging the full scale and lasting impact of one of history’s most devastating systems. Kumah addressed concerns that such language could be interpreted as placing one atrocity above others. He rejected that view, explaining that the resolution is not about comparing suffering or creating a legal hierarchy among crimes against humanity. Instead, he said it seeks to identify a historical system that reshaped the modern world and continues to influence global inequalities. … Kumah also stressed that supporting the resolution should not be seen as an act of accusation, but as one of shared responsibility. Acknowledging the past, he said, reflects a commitment to dignity, equality, and truth. AfricaNews/AP
How Africa Gets Shortchanged in Trade with Europe
The establishment of free trade between much of both continents for half a century has created growth in many areas. However, the data analysis shows that Africa remains on unequal footing. Gold, cocoa and oil are goods that are sought-after globally. And they can all be found in abundance in Ghana. This explains why the West African country earns more from exports than it has to pay for imports. To receive beneficial export conditions, Ghana granted market access to trading partners for suboptimal returns. … Despite having to be pay 30% import duties, imported chicken can still be up to 35% cheaper than local products, according to a study from 2023, making chicken farming increasingly unattractive in Ghana. … African exports to Europe fluctuate more strongly, while trade flows from North to South appear to develop more evenly. This is because Africa exports many raw materials, the price of which is formed on the world markets, while Europe typically moves at least partly developed and processed products for the most part. … Most African economies have failed to reinvest the commodity profits of previous years back into their respective markets, and so have failed in diversifying their industries. DW
Bodies of Africans Were Once Dug Up and Sent to Europe for Research. Now They are Coming Home
The remains of dozens of Africans whose bodies were dug up and sent to Europe for scientific research long ago were reburied Monday in South Africa, whose president called the practice “rooted in racism and used to advance theories of European racial superiority.” The remains of at least 63 members of the Khoi and San communities had been repatriated from a European museum, part of a wider movement in Africa to bring back remains and artifacts that had been stolen or removed from the continent. Widely acknowledged as the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa, the Khoi and San waged resistance against colonialism, and many were killed by European settlers. The remains being reburied were dug up between 1868 and 1924 and donated to The Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Others had been housed at the Iziko Museums in South Africa since the 1920s. AP