Kenyan court halts sending police officers to Haiti mission
High Court rules National Security Council does not possess legal authority to deploy police beyond borders of Kenya
Violence in Nigeria’s Plateau State claims 30 lives
Clashes between shepherds and farmers escalate in town of Mangu, prompting state of emergency
Mali ends 2015 peace deal with separatist rebels
Mali’s junta ended a 2015 peace deal with Tuareg separatist rebels on Thursday in a move that could further destabilise the conflict-torn West African nation. Tensions between the central authorities and the northern separatists have resurfaced since the military consolidated power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, teamed up with Russian military contractor Wagner Group, and kicked out French forces and U.N. peacekeepers. In a statement read on state television, the military authorities said it was no longer possible to continue with the agreement due to other signatories not sticking to their commitments and “hostile acts” by chief mediator Algeria. As a result, it said the so-called Algiers Accord, brokered by the United Nations, was no longer workable. The government “announces its end with immediate effect,” it said of the agreement. The CMA, an alliance of rebel groups formed by Mali’s semi-nomadic Tuareg people, said it was not surprised by the decision. “We have been expecting it since they brought in Wagner, chased out MINUSMA (the U.N. peacekeeping group) and started hostilities by attacking our positions on the ground,” said CMA spokesperson Elmaouloud Ramadane. “We knew that the aim was to terminate the agreement,” he said by phone. Mali, on the Sahara Desert’s southern fringe, has been plagued by violence since 2012, when Islamist militants hijacked an uprising by the Tuareg groups who complained of government neglect and sought autonomy for the desert region they call Azawad. The Tuaregs signed the peace accord with the Bamako government in 2015, but the militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have killed thousands of civilians in insurgencies that have since spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. The Tuareg peace agreement had recently come under increasing strain. Fighting between the two sides picked up again since last August as they jostle for position during the gradual withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers. In early January, the U.N. Security Council warned of the importance of sticking with the 2015 peace deal and called for all parties to resume dialogue.
Tear gas, arrests disrupt peaceful pro-Palestine protest in Kenya
Security forces disperse demonstration outside German Embassy, arresting 3 activists
Sandstorm hits Senegal’s capital
A cloud of dust covering the city surprised the residents on Dakar. Senegalese authorities warned of a “very poor air quality” in the city and the “high health risk” specially for those suffering of respiratory diseases, children and elderly, and recommended people to not go out and avoid practicing sports and other activities outside. The density of the dust floating over the Senegalese capital and other regions of the country, has seriously affected the visibility, the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM) and the Centre for Air Quality Management (CGQA) alerted. Not just Dakar but other regions of Senegal were affected by the dense layer of dust. Authorities said the dust particles will gradually diminish from Saturday afternoon.
UK to loan back Ghana’s looted ‘Crown Jewels’
Two British museums are returning gold and silver artifacts to Ghana under a long-term loan arrangement
ECHR warns UK of legal consequences in Rwanda deportation dispute
Legal tensions rise as ECHR President emphasizes the UK’s duty in deportation rulings, challenging government plans.
Niger’s PM criticizes ECOWAS over bloc meeting absence
In a diplomatic setback, Niger’s PM criticizes ECOWAS for “bad faith” in a sparsely attended meeting.
Ivory Coast fires head coach amidst AFCON turmoil
Ivory Coast’s football authority dismissed national team head coach Jean-Louis Gasset and deputy Ghislain Marie Joseph due to insufficient results in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Blinken urges diplomatic progress in DRC after December elections
US Secretary of State Blinken, with Angolan President’s support, explores diplomatic avenues for lasting peace in the conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rediscovering ancient libraries in Chinguetti, Mauritania
This historic town was once home to ancient libraries that housed invaluable manuscripts
Libya requires $1.8 billion for reconstruction in flood-affected regions
The floods caused the collapse of two dams in Derna, unleashing a torrent of water that leveled entire neighborhood
Chad’s president meets with Putin in Moscow
The president of Chad Idriss Deby met with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Moscow.
Comoros Top Court Confirms President Assoumani’s Re-election
Court adjusted initially declared 62.97% vote total of Assoumani to 57.2%
Morocco beat Zambia 1-0 in Africa Cup of Nations
Morocco finish Group F in top spot with 7 points
Suicide bombing kills at least 2 in Somali capital
Al-Shabaab terror group claims responsibility for attack.
Protests erupt for release of jailed opposition leader in Zimbabwe
2 opposition politicians convicted of incitement to cause violence as demonstrators protested for their release following murder of activist Moreblessing Ali.
Churches and mosques burnt in Nigeria as curfew imposed
Mosques and churches have become targets of destruction in Nigeria’s central Plateau state amid escalating tensions over a fatal clash involving cattle.
NEMA evacuates 975 Nigerians stranded in Niger Republic
The returnees were handled by emergency officials from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, the Nigeria Red Cross and security agencies.
More than 70 dead in artisanal mine collapse in Mali
Despite the dangers, small-scale unregulated mines continue to flourish and attract thousands of gold miners.
Germany FM’s Djibouti trip detoured by missing Eritrea flyover permit
German Foreign Minister Baerbock’s trip to Djibouti faces an unexpected delay as her plane is forced to land in Saudi Arabia due to a missing Eritrea flyover permit.
Zambia further delays school reopening as cholera cases surge
Zambia grapples with a deadly cholera outbreak, delaying school reopening again and prompting urgent action to curb the spread.
Daesh-linked militants kill civilians in eastern DRC
An attack blamed on militants linked to the Daesh group in conflict-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed civilians, local sources said on Wednesday. The rebel attack took place at around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Tuesday in Ngite, in the territory of Beni in North Kivu province, local civil society official Jadot Mwendapole told AFP. “They killed five civilians, all men,” he said. Some were killed by firearms, others with knives. One person was missing and property was looted, he added. “The enemy, ADF, killed five civilians,” Augustin Kapupa , head of the Mbau administrative area where Ngite is located, said. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), historically a Ugandan rebel coalition, established itself in eastern DRC in 1995. The group is one of the deadliest militias in the strife-torn area. It pledged allegiance to the Daesh in 2019. In November 2021, after several attacks on Ugandan soil blamed on the ADF, the Ugandan army joined forces with the DRC to try to drive the ADF out of their eastern DR Congo strongholds. Despite this, the group remains active. In December, the group was accused of two attacks in western Uganda in which 13 villagers were killed.
Tanzania opposition demands reform, protests call for new constitution
Tanzania witnesses its biggest opposition protest in years, calling for democratic reforms before the 2025 election.
Rwanda unearths mass grave, 30 years after genocide
Villagers in Rwanda unearth a mass grave containing 119 victims of the 1994 genocide, highlighting the ongoing search for closure and justice 30 years later.
Carthage: Ancient powerhouse and Hannibal’s daring Alpine crossing
The Alpine crossing was a masterstroke that caught the Roman Republic off guard
Al-Shabaab strikes military base in Somalia
Terror group claims responsibility for attack, says it overran base, seized military vehicles