Author: WAJ Editor

South African forces deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a regional peacekeeping mission are expected to complete their withdrawal by the end of May, according to South Africa’s military leadership. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, confirmed that troops have begun assembling in Tanzania as part of a phased pullout that began on 29 April. Personnel will return home via air transport, while military equipment will be shipped by sea. The soldiers, deployed under the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) peacekeeping mission known as SAMIDRC,…

The African Union has expressed deep concern over a recent violent assault on Port Sudan, condemning the attack as a grave escalation in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. The strategic port city had remained one of the few relatively stable areas in the country amid the turmoil. In a statement released from its headquarters in Addis Ababa, the AU strongly denounced the violence, warning that the attack threatens civilian lives, disrupts vital humanitarian operations, and endangers regional stability. “Port Sudan has served as a crucial humanitarian and logistical hub during the conflict,” the AU said. “Any aggression against it endangers not only…

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and President Azali Assoumani of the Union of the Comoros underscored the need for a unified African approach to the continent’s challenges during a meeting in Cairo on Sunday, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. The two leaders held talks on pressing regional and continental issues, including developments in Gaza and Sudan, the security situation in the Horn of Africa, and the strategic importance of maintaining stability in the Red Sea. Discussions also addressed broader concerns within the African Union (AU), which Comoros chaired from February 2023 to February 2024. Development challenges such as…

Authorities in the North West province of South Africa have arrested more than 40 illegal miners, commonly referred to as zama zamas, during a series of operations conducted in early May 2025. The arrests form part of Operation Vala Umgodi, a national effort targeting illegal mining activities. The suspects, aged between 18 and 47, were detained in separate incidents in Sun City, Mogwase, and Tlhabane, according to provincial police spokesperson Adele Myburgh. They are facing a range of charges, including violations of the Immigration Act. Myburgh confirmed that the accused, who come from various countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi,…

At least 11 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a militant attack on a military base in Yobe State, northeast Nigeria, according to military sources. The assault, reportedly carried out by fighters from the ISWAP, took place late Friday in the town of Buni Gari. Sources said the insurgents arrived in several vehicles equipped with heavy weaponry and rocket-propelled grenades. After a fierce gun battle, they overran the base, killed the soldiers, and set the facility on fire. Multiple military vehicles and buildings were also destroyed in the attack. The assailants reportedly looted weapons before torching the site. “The terrorists attacked…

A Ugandan High Court judge and United Nations appointee, Lydia Mugambe, has been sentenced to over six years in prison by a UK court for forcing a woman to work as a domestic slave during her time as a student at the University of Oxford. Mugambe, 50, was handed a six-year and four-month sentence by Oxford Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of four charges, including two under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act. The offences occurred while she was pursuing a doctorate in law at Oxford. The court found that Mugambe compelled a young woman—whose identity is protected—to work…

Togo’s government has confirmed that several of its citizens have been captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The announcement comes amid growing concerns over African nationals reportedly being lured into combat through fraudulent scholarship schemes. In a statement released Friday, Togo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that most of those involved were young students who had left the country under the pretext of receiving scholarships from entities claiming to operate in Russia. The ministry urged all citizens—particularly students—to thoroughly verify any overseas education offers and consult official government channels before traveling…

The South African Navy, in partnership with the Naval Heritage Trust (NHT), officially opened Africa’s first submarine museum on 30 April in Simon’s Town. The SAS Assegaai Submarine Museum marks a historic achievement in preserving the continent’s naval legacy. The SAS Assegaai, a decommissioned Daphne-class submarine, was relocated to its permanent museum site in July 2024 after a complex land transport operation. A soft public opening took place in December, offering visitors a rare look into underwater naval operations. The launch ceremony was attended by SA Navy Chief Vice Admiral Monde Lobese and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, alongside veterans,…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 1,307 suspected cases of cholera and 34 deaths across 30 states and 98 Local Government Areas so far this year, raising concerns as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season. NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris, speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, warned that more than 3,300 communities—many in flood-prone areas—are at immediate or moderate risk of cholera due to inadequate sanitation and limited access to clean water. The current case fatality rate stands at 2.6%, more than double the agency’s target of under 1%. Dr. Idris…

Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has sparked fresh controversy after claiming that Eddie Mutwe, the bodyguard of opposition leader Bobi Wine, is being held in his basement. Kainerugaba, who is also President Yoweri Museveni’s son, made the statement in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday. “He is in my basement,” Kainerugaba wrote, responding to accusations from Wine that Mutwe had been abducted. The National Unity Platform (NUP), Wine’s political party, had previously reported that Mutwe was violently taken on April 27 by men in uniforms resembling those of the Special Forces Command—an elite military unit…

Five Indian nationals were abducted during a recent armed attack in western Niger that also claimed the lives of 12 soldiers, according to Nigerian security sources and a statement by Indian authorities. The incident occurred near the village of Sakoira in the Tillaberi region, within the volatile tri-border area shared by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The kidnapped individuals were employed by an Indian company involved in the Kandadji dam project, a major infrastructure initiative in Niger. All five victims are from the Indian state of Jharkhand. The state government confirmed their identities and said the Indian embassy in Niger…

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has denounced Moroccan authorities for continuing to restrict press freedom in Western Sahara, following the recent expulsion of two Italian freelance journalists from the disputed territory. Journalist Matteo Garavoglia and photographer Giovanni Colmoni were deported after being detained on April 27 while attempting to enter Laayoune, the capital of Western Sahara, by car. Moroccan security forces arrested the pair and transferred them to Agadir in southwestern Morocco, where they were subsequently expelled from the country. CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program Director Sara Qudah described the incident as part of a broader “media…

Kenyan President William Ruto has vowed a comprehensive investigation into the killing of Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were, who was shot dead Wednesday night in what authorities describe as a targeted and premeditated attack in Nairobi. According to police reports, the Kasipul MP was attacked while sitting in his car at a traffic light along Ngong Road, a busy highway in the capital. Eyewitnesses said a gunman riding as a passenger on a motorbike opened fire before fleeing the scene. Were was rushed to Nairobi Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. In a statement on Thursday, President Ruto…

The 6th edition of BEAUTYISTANBUL, one of the world’s leading international cosmetics and beauty exhibitions, is set to take place from May 8–10, 2025, at the TUYAP Fair Center in Istanbul, featuring a significant African presence among its global lineup. This year’s event, held at a new venue and with a reorganized layout for improved accessibility, will host over 1,160 exhibitors from 67 countries, bringing together key players in cosmetics, personal care, packaging, ingredients, and beauty technologies. The exhibition spans 10 categorized halls, allowing visitors to navigate the event by specific sectors such as cosmetics, salon equipment, and manufacturing. Africa…

Hundreds of Tunisians gathered in the capital on Thursday to mark Labour Day with a protest against President Kais Saied, calling for the release of detained opposition figures and denouncing what they see as growing repression under his administration. The demonstration, held on Tunis’s iconic Habib Bourguiba Avenue, was organized by the influential UGTT trade union and joined by various political groups and relatives of imprisoned critics of the government. Protesters carried banners reading “Injustice is the beginning of the end” and chanted slogans predicting a new wave of revolution. “People are still standing up for their rights despite the…

Thousands of Moroccan workers took to the streets of the capital on Thursday, transforming traditional May Day demonstrations into a powerful protest against the government’s ongoing ties with Israel amid the war in Gaza. While labour demands such as wage increases and job security remained central to the march, chants of “Bread, Freedom, Palestine” echoed through the crowds, with protesters waving Moroccan and Palestinian flags side by side. Banners condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and Morocco’s normalisation of relations with Tel Aviv were prominently displayed. Union leaders, many wearing the symbolic Palestinian keffiyeh, strongly criticized what they described as Israel’s…