Congo Army Desertion Trials Spotlight a Force in Tatters
Testimony collected from quick-fire trials of more than 300 soldiers, interviews with three senior army officers and a confidential U.N. memo seen by Reuters paint a grim picture of a fighting force hobbled by entrenched problems, such as poor pay and corruption that reform efforts have failed to resolve. The chaos of the past few weeks has further strained the army’s weak chain of command, raising risks of abuses committed against civilians, said the confidential U.N. memo providing an update on the fighting. While President Felix Tshisekedi’s government has touted efforts to recruit new soldiers and acquire new weapons, the senior officers said this has meant little for soldiers on the front lines, who they described as underpaid and underequipped…The trials have yielded death sentences for more than 260 soldiers…Tshisekedi has blamed military higher-ups for the poor performance, telling supporters the army had been “betrayed from within”. But his critics blame him for leaning heavily on regional forces and mercenaries while incorporating militias who have proved difficult to control…For now, the dynamic of indiscipline continues to fuel clashes between soldiers and incorporated militias in Uvira, a city on the Burundian border, putting residents on edge. A humanitarian source said the clashes had killed 30 and wounded more than 100 after militias tried to disarm soldiers who were fleeing. Reuters
It’s Been a Month since Rebels Seized an Eastern Congo City. Goma Residents Say They Are Struggling
On the streets of Goma, which is close to the border with Rwanda, economic activities have largely slowed down since the M23 rebels took over on Jan. 28. Banks are still shut, basic services such as trade are slowly restarting and thousands displaced by the conflict are desperate for aid and temporary shelters…The city and its environs had hosted more than 500,000 displaced people in addition to its population of 2 million, before the M23 rebels seized it last month in a major escalation of their yearslong fighting with government forces in the central African nation…The bank closures have led to concerns that the rebels could seek alternative banking systems independent of the Congolese government’s control, a major setback to regional efforts to get them to withdraw from the city…Residents, meanwhile, continue to flee from Goma to other neighboring countries and towards the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away. At the main border crossing between Congo and Rwanda, the numbers of refugees trying to cross over to Rwanda continue to grow as hundreds attempt to obtain the “CEPGL” pass that facilitates free movement within the Great Lakes region. AP
Sudanese Civilian Coalition to Unveil New Roadmap to End War
The Democratic Civilian Coalition for the Revolutionary Forces “Smoud” intends to present a new political vision and roadmap to end the war in Sudan in the coming days. The Coordination of Democratic Civilian Forces, known as “Tagadum,” dissolved on February 10 after disagreements among its members regarding the declaration of a parallel government in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Subsequently, those who opposed the formation of the government established Smoud on February 11, led by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok…The Smoud spokesman revealed that the general secretariat formed a committee to review the organizational structures in its meeting, guided by the experience of the Tagadum Coordination. Tagadum was established in October 2023 to form the broadest coalition against the war, work to achieve peace and restore the civilian transition. Sudan Tribune
Egyptian Authorities Reject Attempts to Form Parallel Government in Sudan
Egypt rejected on Sunday attempts aimed at establishing a rival government in Sudan, warning that such moves jeopardised the “unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the war-torn country…A week ago, the RSF and its allies signed a charter in Kenya declaring the formation of a “government of peace and unity” in areas under their control…The paramilitaries’ move to form a rival government has drawn sharp criticism, including from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who warned it would “further deepen Sudan’s fragmentation”. Saudi Arabia, which previously mediated ceasefire talks between the warring sides, also rejected the RSF’s move…Kuwait echoed that position on Friday, saying it rejected “any unlawful actions taken outside the framework of legitimate state institutions” in Sudan…At a UN Human Rights Council dialogue on Friday, Saudi Arabia’s Gulf neighbour Qatar also expressed its support for “Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity”. The United Arab Emirates, which has repeatedly been accused of supplying the RSF with weapons – claims it has denied – has not commented yet. RFI
Jihadist Ambush Kills 11 Soldiers in North Niger
An attack claimed by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists killed 11 soldiers in northern Niger near the Algerian border, local sources and media reported Saturday. According to Air Info news website, an army patrol was ambushed in the Ekade Malane area on Friday and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed responsibility. It said the 11 soldiers were buried on Saturday in the presence of top officers including armed forces chief of staff General Moussa Salaou Barmou. State radio confirmed the attack and death toll but said the patrol was ambushed by “bandits”. Niger forces stationed near Algeria face occasional attacks by armed assailants. These are usually not attributed to jihadists, who are more active in borderlands straddling Mali and Burkina Faso. Niger’s vast desert north is however a notorious corridor for illicit traffickers and a transit point for thousands of Africans hoping to reach Europe. AFP
10 Gunmen, 1 Soldier Killed in Northern Benin Attack
Clashes in Benin over the last week between armed groups and the military left 10 dead, including one soldier, as the West African country faces an uptick in attacks on army positions…While the border near Burkina Faso remains the epicenter of such attacks, communities near the Niger border have seen an uptick in violence recently…Attacks in Benin’s north have led observers to worry of a spillover of violence in the country…On Thursday, the United States and Benin signed a bilateral cooperation agreement “strengthening collaboration between the Beninese Armed Forces (FAB) and the U.S. Army,” the American Embassy said. AFP
Guinea’s Former Prime Minister Is Jailed for 5 Years for Corruption
A special court in Guinea has sentenced the country’s former prime minister to five years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, who was prime minister in the government of former President Alpha Condé, was also fined $230,000 during his sentencing on Thursday in the capital of Conakry. Fofana was convicted of embezzling up to $1.7 million in public funds from some of the past government’s social welfare programs, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is one of many officials from the deposed Condé administration being prosecuted by the Court for the Repression of Economic and Financial Offenses, a special court set up after Guinea’s junta came to power. He was prime minister from May 2018 till September 2021, when the military took over power, and has been detained since April 2022 following his arrest on corruption charges. Fofana denied the charges, which his lawyers described as a witch hunt…Guinea is one of several West African countries, including Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, where the military has taken over power and delayed a return to civilian rule. AP
West African Mission Leaves Guinea-Bissau after ‘President’s Threats’
The West African regional bloc, Ecowas, says a mission deployed to Guinea-Bissau to help resolve an election dispute has left the country after the president threatened to expel it…Guinea-Bissau’s general elections had been scheduled for last November but President Umaro Sissoco Embalo postponed them. He has since announced 30 November this year as the new date. The opposition has opposed the delay and said Embalo’s term should have expired last week, although a Supreme Court ruling recently extended his term in office to September. In a statement on Sunday, Ecowas said its team had met Embalo, other politicians and civil society groups to try to reach a consensus on when the elections should be held. Ecowas said its team, together with the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (Unowas), had been deployed to the country from 21-28 February. It said it had “prepared a draft agreement on a roadmap for elections in 2025 and had started presenting it to the stakeholders for their consent”. BBC
Tunisia Opponents to Be Tried on State Security Charges Amid Crackdown
A highly anticipated trial of several prominent Tunisian opposition figures accused of plotting against state security is set to start Tuesday, with critics and rights groups denouncing it as unfair and politically motivated. The case has named around 40 high-profile defendants — including former diplomats, politicians, lawyers and media figures — some of whom have been outspoken critics of President Kais Saied. Many were detained following a flurry of arrests in February 2023, after Saied dubbed them “terrorists”. The group faces charges of “plotting against the state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group”, according to lawyers, which could entail hefty sentences. They include politician Jawhar Ben Mbarek, a former senior figure in the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party Abdelhamid Jelassi, and Issam Chebbi, a founder of the opposition National Salvation Front (FSN) coalition — all staunch critics of Saied. AFP
Tunisia Rescues 64 Migrants from Capsizing Boat off Eastern Mediterranean Coast
Authorities in Tunisia say 64 migrants were rescued from a boat that capsized off the country’s eastern Mediterranean coast after running out of fuel. The country’s national customs agency said in a statement that maritime patrols sent to the capsized vessel rescued 64 people of various nationalities off the coast of Mahdia on Friday evening. No deaths were reported…Initial findings of the investigation suggest that the migrants had set off from an unnamed neighbouring country, likely to be Libya. The migrants were taken to the port of Chebba, 37 miles north of Sfax, for further investigation. More than 30,000 migrants set sail from Libya and arrived in Italy in 2024, according to UNHCR. The UN refugee agency said 61% of those arriving in Italy by sea came from Libya, followed by 32% from Tunisia. The UN’s International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 100 migrants have died or gone missing in the central Mediterranean off the coast of Tunisia and Libya since the beginning of 2025. AP
‘End of Era’ for Africa as Namibia Buries Founding Father
The leader of Namibia’s independence struggle against apartheid South Africa died last month at the age of 95. [Sam] Nujoma was seen as the last of a generation of African figures who headed anti-colonial movements and fought for freedom…On Saturday, Nujoma’s coffin, draped in the Namibian flag, was driven by a military gun carriage from the centre of the capital, Windhoek, where the body was lying in state, to the burial ground on the outskirts of the city…Nujoma, one of 10 children from a peasant family, was working on the railway in the late 1940s when he got a political education. He developed a passion for politics and yearned to see his people free from the injustice and indignity of colonialism. He led the long fight for freedom from South Africa, which was then under white-minority rule, and helped found the liberation movement known as the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) in the 1960s. As the country’s first president – a position he held for 15 years until 2005 – Nujoma is widely credited for ensuring peace and stability. His policy of national reconciliation encouraged the country’s white community to remain, and they still play a major role in farming and other sectors of the economy. He also championed the rights of women and children, including making fathers pay for the maintenance of children born out of wedlock. BBC