Somali Military Liberates Strategic Town in Central Region
Somalia’s national army said Tuesday it recaptured the small but strategic town of Booco in the country’s central Hiran region from al-Shabab militants. The military said local militia backed them up in this latest offensive against the Islamist militants, who state TV said have controlled the town for 13 years. Somalia National Television (SNTV) reported that Army Chief Brigadier General Odawa Yusuf visited the Hiran region village of Yasoman on Tuesday, where troops also drove out militants with local support. Voice of America
Tshisekedi Accuses Rwanda, Again, of Backing Rebels in DR Congo
DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has reignited an accusation against Rwanda, insisting that Kigali is still fanning rebel groups in his country’s territory. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Tshisekedi claimed his efforts to reunite the country and pursue peaceful settlements have been dragged by continual external interference, accusing Rwanda, in particular, of fomenting rebel movements. East African
Tunisia Opposition Chief Rached Ghannouchi Questioned All Night by Counter-Terrorism Police
The leader of Tunisia’s Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party was questioned through the night by counter-terrorism police over alleged complicity in the departure of jihadist militants for Syria and Iraq, his lawyer said Wednesday. Rached Ghannouchi, 81, finally left the police station in Tunis at 06:30 (05:30 GMT), an AFP correspondent reported…Ennahdha categorically denies the accusations levelled at Ghannouchi and Tunisia’s former prime minister Ali Laarayedh, who was questioned for hours on Monday. Ghannouchi has now been summoned to appear before the judiciary’s counter-terrorism branch later Wednesday, his lawyer Samir Dilou told AFP. AFP
Under the Effect of Sanctions, Russian Planes Operating in Africa for the United Nations Are Grounded
This is an unexpected consequence of the war in Ukraine. In four African countries, thousands of kilometers from the theater of operations, particularly in Sudan and Burkina Faso, United Nations (UN) agencies or missions but also, indirectly, humanitarian organizations have seen their movements hampered since Thursday. September 15, due to lack of planes and helicopters grounded by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) because of their Russian registration. Globe Echo
Western Nations Will Take Temperature on Proposed Russian Oil Price Cap
U.S. officials and their partners are also expected to try to persuade countries outside the Group of 7 to abide by whatever price cap is set. That includes China, India and Turkey, as well as other countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. “The oil price cap — if that’s going to work at all — is dependent on these countries’ willingness to follow the rules established by the West,” said Maria Snegovaya, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University who has written about sanctions on Russia. New York Times
Africa Bled by Illicit Cash Outflows – Report
An estimated $88.6 billion is illegally moved out of African countries each year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a 2020 report that cited tax evasion, mis-invoicing and criminal activities as leading culprits. The U.N. report’s loss estimate aligns with a finding in “On the Trail of Capital Flight From Africa,” a book published early this year that examines large-scale illicit outflows from Angola, Ivory Coast and South Africa. Just those three countries combined have lost an average of $60 billion a year for five decades, the book’s research team calculated. Voice of America
Chad Death Toll in Clashes Between Herders and Farmers Rises to 19
“Nineteen people were killed, 22 injured and 18 arrested,” Lamane Nguessangar, public prosecutor at the court of appeal in Sahr, capital of Moyen-Chari province, told AFP by telephone. Trouble often occurs when farmers accuse the herders of allowing their animals to eat or trample on their crops in one of the most fertile parts of the country. The clashes began with a dispute between a farmer and a herder in Marabe, a small village 500 kilometres (310 miles) southeast of the capital N’Djamena, local authorities said. Conflict spilled over into two neighbouring villages on September 13 and 14, said Ali Ahmat Akhabache, governor of the province bordering the Central African Republic. AFP
Outbreak of Rare Ebola Strain Declared in Uganda
Uganda declared an outbreak of a relatively rare strain of the Ebola virus on Tuesday, raising concerns of a wider spread because existing vaccines are unlikely to provide quick protection against this version of the virus. A 24-year-old man who died Monday in central Uganda was found to have been infected with the Sudan strain of Ebola, said Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at Uganda’s Health Ministry. Wall Street Journal
UN Report Warns of Crimes Against Humanity in Ethiopia
UN investigators say they believe Ethiopia’s government is behind ongoing crimes against humanity in Tigray, and warn the resumption of the conflict there increased the risk of “further atrocity crimes”. In its first report, the Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia on Monday said it had found evidence of widespread violations by all sides since fighting erupted in the northern Tigray region in November 2020. AFP
ASUU Strike: Nigerian Students Set to ‘Shut Down’ Abuja Airport Road
Students of public universities in Nigeria have said all is set to ground activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at the nation’s federal capital territory (FCT), Abuja. The latest decision followed the success recorded in Lagos on Monday when human and vehicular movement into and from the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) was obstructed for hours. The protesters, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) defied the early morning rain in Lagos on Monday and barricaded the road leading to the airport using both official and personal vehicles. They said the decision to impede movements at the airports was part of the strategies to “take the battle to the Nigerian elites so that they could feel the plight of the public university students.” Premium Times Nigeria
COP27: Inside Africa’s Increasingly Clean Energy Record
By comparison with the rest of the world, African states tread lightly, responsible for just 3.3% of global carbon emissions – eight times less than Asia, Europe and North America. Each. In the words of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, it is the least responsible but pays the highest price. And while drought and floods and their attendant griefs will (and should) make a story at Cop-27, there’s one report card where the continent shines. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s 2022 Forum Report, called The Road to Cop-27, shows that three in four countries have met their requirements to submit their Nationally Determined Contributions plan to cut emissions – even if these are low. Bird Story Agency