African Union and UN Condemn Houthis for Attacks
The African Union Commission and the United Nations have condemned the attacks carried out by the Houthis against civilian targets and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, as well as attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The AUC, in a statement, expressed deep concern over the military escalation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait critical corridors for trade to the east African ports. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the militia’s attacks on Saudi Arabia, their targeting of civilian sites, and the threat these attacks pose to security and stability in the region. … Obstruction of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait risks global supply chains, energy security, and fragile African economies. The East African
130,000 Displaced by Houthi Advance in Yemen, Says IOM
Nearly 130,000 people have been displaced across seven governorates in Yemen due to escalating insecurity, with many of them having been displaced multiple times, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday. “The numbers keep climbing. On September 18 we recorded 118,086 displaced people. Three days later, the figure has risen by 11,352,” said Othman Belbeisi, IOM regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. According to the latest IOM data, Taiz Governorate hosts the largest number of displaced people, with 73,494. Meanwhile, as of Sunday evening, 3,106 people had crossed the Red Sea from Yemen to Djibouti, the UN agency said. AFP
Sudan Civilian Bloc Urges UN to Expand Arms Embargo, Mandate Truce
Repeated international and regional diplomatic pushes have failed to halt the fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leaving millions displaced and critical infrastructure shattered. A delegation from the Somoud coalition, led by former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, arrived in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to urge world leaders to act decisively. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the coalition urged the Security Council to halt external interference by extending the Darfur arms embargo across all of Sudan and holding violators accountable. The coalition called for an inclusive political process leading to a democratic civilian transition, while demanding the exclusion of the dissolved National Congress Party of former autocrat Omar al-Bashir and allied Islamist factions. The group also urged international bodies not to confer legitimacy on any military or de facto authorities ruling by force. Sudan Tribune
UN Voices Concern over Worsening Security Situation, Armed-group Coalition and Drone Strikes in Ethiopia
The United Nations has expressed deep concern over what it described as a worsening security situation in Ethiopia, citing the formation of a new coalition of armed groups, continued insecurity and reports of drone strikes. Speaking at the UN Secretary-General’s daily press briefing on 21 September, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, said the UN was “deeply concerned” by recent developments in Ethiopia amid heightened tensions. … The statement comes amid renewed security tensions in parts of Ethiopia, including developments in the northern Tigray region, where clashes have recently been reported between federal forces and Tigrayan forces. Addis Standard
JNIM Militants Kill More than 100 Malian Soldiers in Attack This Month, Sources Say
Jihadists killed more than 100 soldiers in central Mali this month, two sources said, while the army said it had evacuated troops from the camp under attack and struck enemy positions during a retaliatory operation lasting more than a week. The September 10 attack in the town of Dioura and another on the airport in the town of Sevare were the latest by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) against Mali’s military rulers who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021. In April, JNIM joined forces with the Tuareg-led separatist group the FLA to carry out nationwide attacks that killed Mali’s defence minister and hit the main airport, highlighting lack of progress by pro-government fighters against the insurgents. A security source said 130 soldiers died in the September 10 attack in Dioura with more than 100 taken hostage. A diplomatic source said around 120 soldiers were killed. Reuters
Nigeria: Bandits Continue Attacks in Sokoto, Katsina despite Local Peace Deals, Military Operations
Months after many communities in Katsina State entered local peace arrangements with armed groups, renewed attacks, abductions and displacement are testing those arrangements and the security measures meant to protect rural residents. Across southern Katsina and neighbouring Sokoto State, many people have been killed, kidnapped or forced from their homes in recent weeks. Farmers in some areas are afraid to go to their fields, and livestock have been stolen. Security agencies have responded with extra deployments, rescue operations and raids on suspected bandit hideouts. Results vary by location. Some communities report improvements after local negotiations and security operations. Troops have rescued some abducted residents and say they have disrupted planned attacks. Elsewhere, families remain displaced, and the attacks continue. Premium Times
Nigerian Air Force Signs Beam for 12 US-Made Viper Attack Helicopters
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has taken a significant step towards acquiring 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters following a beam signing ceremony at Bell Textron in Amarillo, Texas, United States. A statement signed by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, on Monday. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, who led a NAF delegation to the facility for the ceremony marked a milestone in the implementation of the Nigeria–United States Government defence cooperation programme. The acquisition is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise the Armed Forces and strengthen the country’s defence and security capabilities against current and emerging threats. PR Nigeria
South Sudan’s President Signs Election Law Changes Ahead of December Vote
South Sudan President Salva Kiir signed amendments to the country’s election law late on Monday, removing requirements that linked elections to the completion of a permanent constitution and a national census, changes that were rejected by the main opposition coalition. The amendments are intended to clear the way for general elections scheduled for December 22, which would be South Sudan’s first since independence in 2011. The South Sudan Opposition Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties and a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, rejected the changes, saying they were made without adequate consultation among the agreement’s parties. … Under the amended law, the incumbent executive leadership remains in office with full constitutional powers through the election period until a newly elected president assumes office, while the legislation also provides for the first vice president and other vice presidents to leave office within three months before election day. Reuters
South Sudan: Ex-presidential Adviser Declares Bid to Challenge Kiir in Elections
Tijwog Agwet, a former adviser to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on religious affairs, has declared his intention to challenge his former boss in presidential elections scheduled for December. His announcement makes him the second politician to publicly declare a presidential bid against Kiir ahead of the December election. Speaking exclusively to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday evening, Tijwog said the elections present an opportunity for South Sudan to move towards democratic rule and pledged to prioritise peace, unity and the delivery of public services if elected. … Tijwog, who hails from Upper Nile state, said he intends to run as an independent candidate. He argued that he could win because, in his view, the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) had failed to deliver for South Sudan over the past two decades, while opposition groups remained too divided to mount an effective challenge. Radio Tamazuj
Amnesty Accuses M23 of Abuses Amounting to War Crimes at Congo Mines
Amnesty International accused M23 rebels in eastern Congo of carrying out abuses and unlawful killings of miners while trafficking critical minerals to neighboring Rwanda, in what it said could amount to war crimes. The Rwanda-backed rebels control dozens of artisanal mines in Congo’s eastern North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, where tens of thousands of miners dig for minerals critical for much of the world’s electronics, including mobile phones. Amnesty International said in its report on Monday it interviewed 26 people to document the crimes allegedly committed from January 2025 to March 2026, particularly at a coltan mine near Rubaya in North Kivu and a gold mine in Lomera in South Kivu. Sixteen of the interviewees, including miners and civilians, said the M23 rebels or security guards at the rebel-controlled mines had tortured or mistreated them, the report said. AP
First Person Charged in UK for 1994 Rwanda Genocide
Prosecutors said on Monday, September 21, they had brought the first-ever charges in the UK against a man for his alleged role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, after a complex seven-year investigation. Vincent Brown, 65, was arrested and charged on Monday with one count of being an ancillary to genocide and six offences of aiding crimes against humanity in Rwanda, prosecutors and the London police said. “He is alleged to have directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others” against the Tutsi, said Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter terrorism division, in the first ever such charges in the UK. … Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, is in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. Brown was formerly from Kigali in Rwanda, but has been living in the Islington area of London. Le Monde with AFP
US to Return $2.5 Million to The Gambia after Sale of Ex-president Jammeh’s Mansion
The United States has agreed to return $2.5 million to The Gambia – the proceeds of the sale of a property belonging to the country’s former president Yahya Jammeh. Gambia’s finance minister and US Embassy officials in Banjul signed the agreement on Friday. The money will go towards a fund for victims of human rights violations committed during Jammeh’s 22-years in office. The Embassy said the return of the funds reflects Washington and Banjul’s shared commitment to combatting corruption and money laundering. Jammeh’s wife Zineb bought the property in Potomac, Maryland in 2010. It was confiscated 12 years later after US authorities determined it was bought using money obtained through bribes and the embezzlement of public funds. Jammeh left office in 2017 and has been living in exile in Equatorial Guinea. On taking office, Gambia’s current president Adama Barrow established a truth and reconciliation commission for the victims of human rights violations committed between 1994 and 2017. Africanews