Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Authorities in Tanzania are racing against time to rescue at least 25 workers trapped underground following the collapse of a gold mine in the Shinyanga Region. The incident occurred on Monday at the Nyandolwa gold mine, located about 200 kilometers north of the capital, Dodoma, while maintenance work was being carried out in underground shafts. President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed deep sorrow over the accident, assuring that security agencies are working alongside fire and rescue teams to accelerate operations. Shinyanga Regional Commissioner Mboni Mhita, speaking at the site, urged the public to remain calm and support the rescue mission, noting…

Mali’s government says it has detained a French national accused of spying for France in an alleged attempt to destabilize the country. Security Minister Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine announced the arrest of Yann Vezilier in a televised statement late Thursday, claiming he was acting on instructions from French intelligence. His image was shown alongside senior military officers recently detained for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. Authorities say more than 50 people, including two generals—among them former Mopti region governor Gen. Abass Dembele—are in custody over the suspected coup attempt. The minister alleged that the French national helped mobilize political…

African leaders have thrown their support behind a new peace process aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, appointing Botswana’s former President Mokgweetsi Masisi to a high-profile panel tasked with steering inclusive dialogue. The decision followed a virtual joint extraordinary summit of the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC), co-chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The summit called for immediate resource mobilization, including humanitarian aid, to be coordinated under the African Union Commission (AUC). According to the summit’s communique, the AUC will lead the consolidated African-led…

The United States has initiated a formal process to review Kenya’s status as a Major Non-NATO Ally, granted in June 2024, amid concerns over the East African nation’s deepening economic links with China and alleged involvement with armed groups. According to an amendment submitted by Senator James Risch in the Congressional Record, the Secretary of State—working alongside the Pentagon, Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence—must begin the review within 90 days of the Act’s enactment. A classified report to Congress is due within 180 days, assessing Kenya’s cooperation in counterterrorism, regional peacekeeping, and its partnerships with countries like China,…

The United States has authorized the sale of precision-guided munitions and rockets worth $346 million to the Nigerian Air Force, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced. The package includes 1,002 Mk-82 (227kg) bombs, fuzes, airfoil kits for 113kg and 227kg bombs, and 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II rounds, alongside associated equipment and support. Contractors involved will include RTX Missiles and Defense, Lockheed Martin, and BAE Systems. According to the DSCA, the deal aims to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to counter terrorist organizations and combat illicit trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea. The Nigerian Air Force, which already operates…

Türkiye has strengthened its economic footprint in Africa, with business investments surpassing $2.3 billion and creating 35,000 jobs across the continent, according to Trade Minister Ömer Bolat. Speaking at the World Cooperation Industries Forum in Istanbul, Bolat said Turkish contractors have completed over 2,300 projects in Africa worth $97.5 billion — nearly one-fifth of all their overseas work. Key sectors include machinery, chemicals, automotive, agriculture, and steel products. He noted that Türkiye’s trade with Africa rose from $5.4 billion in 2003 to $36.5 billion in 2024, with exports reaching $21.8 billion and imports totaling $15 billion. “Africa is just a…

South Sudan has rejected claims that it is in discussions with Israel to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, dismissing recent media reports as unfounded. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said the allegations “do not reflect the official position or policy” of Juba, stressing that the government has no such agreement or plan. Officials urged news outlets to verify information with authoritative sources before publishing, warning against the spread of misinformation. The denial comes after some Israeli media suggested that talks were underway, prompting criticism from South Sudanese civil society leaders who argued that the country should not be…

Iran and South Africa have held high-level military talks in Tehran, pledging closer cooperation in defence and strategic affairs while voicing shared opposition to what they describe as “global arrogance” and “colonial approaches.” Iranian army chief Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami and visiting South African defence chief Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya said the partnership aims to support “oppressed nations” and advance a just international order. The meeting came as Pretoria faces growing diplomatic friction with Washington. South Africa has rejected a recent US human rights report as “deeply flawed” and “one-sided,” accusing it of relying on discredited sources. The report alleged a…

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has intensified criticism of Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), warning that Cairo will not ignore any threats to its water security. Speaking alongside visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Cairo, Sisi rejected what he called “unilateral actions” in the Nile Basin and claimed that water disputes are being used as part of a broader campaign to pressure Egypt. He stressed that while Egypt supports development for all basin countries, such projects must not reduce the flow of water downstream. Cairo depends on the Nile for nearly all its freshwater needs, receiving 55.5…

Reports indicate that Israel has held talks with South Sudan over the potential relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to the East African nation — a move human rights organisations warn could constitute forcible expulsion and violate international law. According to six people familiar with the discussions, the proposal is part of a wider Israeli strategy to displace Palestinians from Gaza. Critics say such a transfer could prevent Palestinians from ever returning, clearing the way for Israel to annex the enclave and revive Israeli settlements there, as advocated by some far-right ministers in the Israeli government. South Sudan, still recovering from…

Sudan’s worsening war has pushed multiple regions into simultaneous humanitarian catastrophes, with the United Nations and local activists reporting alarming surges in deaths from hunger, malnutrition, and preventable disease — alongside relentless violence targeting civilians. In El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur still under Sudanese army control, more than 60 people — mostly women and children — died in a single week from malnutrition, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). UN officials warned that famine, first identified last year in the Zamzam displacement camp, has now likely spread to other areas under…

The United States has announced sanctions against the Pareco-FF armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), accusing it of profiting from illegal mining operations in the coltan-rich Rubaya region between 2022 and 2024. Washington also targeted the Congolese mining company CDMC and two Hong Kong-based exporters, East Rise and Star Dragon, for allegedly trading minerals sourced from areas under the group’s control. US officials said the measures are intended to send “a clear message” that armed groups and their commercial partners undermining peace and stability in the DRC will face consequences. Rubaya, now held by the M23…

Nigerian security forces have killed more than 100 members of an armed group during a coordinated air and ground offensive in Zamfara State’s Bukkuyum area. The operation, launched early Sunday, targeted a forest camp where over 400 gang members were reportedly gathered. Authorities say the raid was prompted by a surge in violent attacks, including the recent assault on Adabka village that left 13 security personnel dead and saw residents abducted. The targeted group, accused of terrorizing rural communities through raids, kidnappings, and extortion, was allegedly preparing another large-scale attack when troops struck. The violence in northwestern Nigeria, rooted in…

Sudanese forces and allied armed groups say they have repelled a large-scale assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control. The August 11 offensive began with intense shelling across the city, including strikes on the army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters and the Abu Shouk displacement camp, before ground forces attacked from multiple fronts. Military sources claim more than 200 RSF fighters were killed and over 40 combat vehicles destroyed or captured, though these figures could not be independently verified. Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi accused the RSF of…

Severe hunger is gripping Sudan’s North Darfur capital, El-Fasher, where hundreds of thousands remain trapped under a blockade that has cut off food and humanitarian supplies for more than a year. Local and international monitors say the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have surrounded the city since April 2024, closing routes in and out after local armed factions aligned themselves with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The siege has driven food prices to more than four times the national average, with markets running empty and communal kitchens shutting down. The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies estimates that about…

Malian authorities have detained around two dozen soldiers, including a high-ranking general, over allegations of plotting to remove the current military leadership. Security sources said the arrests, which began three days ago, targeted individuals accused of attempting to “destabilise the institutions.” Those detained reportedly include General Abass Dembele, a former governor of Mopti region, who was taken from his home in Kati near Bamako. Officials have not publicly stated the charges against him. Some parliamentary members suggested the number of arrests could be closer to 50. The development comes amid growing discontent within the armed forces, with analysts noting frustration…