In January 2013, Hamadou Kouffa led Islamist forces from northern Mali south toward Konna and Diabaly, an act that precipitated an African and French intervention eventually driving the militants out of entrenched positions. Two years later, Kouffa reemerged on the international scene at the head of the newly founded Macina Liberation Front (Front de Libération du Macina, FLM). Since January… Read more »
A session of South Africa’s parliament convened for a keynote address by the president descended into chaos on Thursday as far-left lawmakers brawled with orderlies after interrupting the speech and the main opposition party walked out.
Boko Haram fighters have killed seven Nigerian soldiers and wounded 19 more in an ambush on a road in the northeastern state of Borno, the military said on Friday. The attack and continued suicide bombings throughout the northeast raise doubts about how close the conflict with the Islamist group is to a conclusion, despite the military reclaiming most territory held… Read more »
A South Sudanese general has resigned, citing abuses by the security forces against civilians and what he called increasing ethnic favoritism in the military, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Saturday. Lieutenant General Thomas Cirillo Swaka, the deputy head of logistics, is the highest-ranking officer to resign since former Vice President Riek Machar fled after his supporters clashed… Read more »
The African Union has decided to allow Morocco back into the fold after a 33-year absence, despite stiff resistance from some member states over the status of Western Sahara. After an emotional and tense debate, member states decided by consensus to leave the question of the disputed territory of Western Sahara for another day, and resolve it with Morocco “back… Read more »
Of my four articles, I found the article on Morocco’s re-admittance into the African Union was the most interesting. It has been 33 years since Morocco was in the AU and is now granted a part in the Union. The re-admittance happened despite Morocco still claiming the occupied Western Sahara. There are other African countries that are also disputing claim… Read more »
The new law in Zambia giving an optional “Mother’s Day” every month for menstruating women is gesture that may lead to more controversy than good.
Many Tunisian prisons are overcrowded, some at 150 percent of their capacity — and authorities say one third of the inmates are there only for marijuana use. Under Tunisia’s Law 52, authorities can carry out random urine tests that can lead to convictions for marijuana use or possession and an automatic one-year prison sentence. Law 52 convictions have been on… Read more »
France Médias Monde has called on French judges to investigate purported links between the 2013 murder of two RFI journalists and botched negotiations for the release of French hostages held by al Qaeda’s North African branch. FMM, which includes Radio France Internationale (RFI) and its sister news channel FRANCE 24, said it mandated its lawyers to press for an investigation… Read more »
Gambia’s President Adama Barrow finally returned home Thursday, solidifying his position as this country’s first new commander in chief in two decades after a political crisis that sent the previous ruler into exile. Hundreds of people lined the road to the airport ahead of his arrival, while boys on top of packed minibuses played drums on empty gas canisters and… Read more »