Macron admits French 'repressive violence' in Cameroon decolonisation 'war'
11/08/2025
South Sudan's mental health services face funding crisis
Africa
11/08/2025
Sudan: 25 million people acutely food insecure, according to the WHO
Africa
10/08/2025
Chad's opposition leader sentenced to 20 years in prison for inciting violence
Africa
06/08/2025
Gabon forest cave reveals clues about prehistoric central Africa
Africa
06/08/2025
Rwanda to receive 250 migrants expelled by the US
Africa
06/08/2025
Colombian mercenaries seen in Sudan
Africa
02/08/2025
African Nations Championship kicks off
Africa
02/08/2025
South Africa in 'negotiations' with US over tariffs as deadline pushed back by a week
Africa
26/07/2025
Senegalese shepherd's journey breaths new life into Fulani herding
Africa
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France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Qatar shares peace draft with DR Congo, M23 rebels as deadline looms
A draft agreement to end fighting between the Democratic Republic of Congo 's army and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia has been shared with the government in Kinshasa and the armed group, a Qatari official with knowledge of the negotiations said Sunday. The official involved in mediation efforts announced the "preparation and sharing of a draft peace agreement with both parties as part of the ongoing Doha process", with Doha set to host "an important round of negotiations" soon. The Congolese government and the M23 signed a declaration of principles on July 19 in Qatar, aiming to ink a peace deal by August 18. The Qatari official said that timeline had not been met but "both parties have responded positively to the facilitator and expressed a willingness to continue negotiations". "We recognise the challenges on the ground and hope they can be overcome promptly through dialogue and genuine commitment," the official added. Since taking up arms again at the end of 2021 the M23 armed group has seized swathes of land in eastern DRC with Rwanda 's backing, triggering a spiralling humanitarian crisis. A fresh surge of unrest broke out early this year when the M23 captured the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, setting up their own administrations.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Nigeria arrests leaders of terror group accused of 2022 jailbreak
Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, told journalists that Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Mahmud al-Nigeri had been captured during a "targeted operation... between May and July". He said they were the leaders of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan -- commonly known as Ansaru. "These two men have been on Nigeria's most-wanted list for years" and were also on international wanted lists, said Ribadu. "They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure," he added. In a brazen raid in July 2022, jihadists used guns and explosives to blast their way into a prison on the outskirts of Abuja, freeing dozens of inmates. Ansaru subsequently claimed responsibility. The arrests mark a breakthrough in the West African nation's decade-and-half long battle against jihadists in the northeast -- and, more recently, against criminal gangs behind kidnappings for ransom in central and northwestern regions. Ribadu said Usman and al-Nigeri had been involved in several high-profile kidnappings in the regions. The Boko Haram splinter group was formed in 2012, later aligning itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The United States designated the group alongside Boko Haram as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" in 2013. "The capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda, the group's leader and deputy commander respectively, marks one of the most significant achievements to date in our ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism," Ribadu added. - Jailbreaks and kidnappings - Ansaru broke away from Boko Haram in 2012, setting up its base in Kano. Its members, many of them Western-educated, rejected Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau for being too extreme. But the group has since adopted the same violence it initially denounced in Boko Haram. The United States said the group kidnapped and executed seven international construction workers in 2013. According to Ribadu, Usman and al-Nigeria masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies, using the proceeds to "finance terrorism over the years". Several hundred inmates were freed before being recaptured by security forces in July 2022 when Ansaru attacked the Kuje medium-security prison just 40 kilometres (25 miles) away from the capital and the Aso Rock presidential villa. In 2012, the group raided a police station in the capital city, killed police officers and freed detainees from prison.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Tight security for Libya local vote marred by incidents
The elections are seen as a test of democracy in a nation still plagued by division and instability after years of unrest following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Polling took place in around 50 municipalities, including the capital Tripoli. A heavy police presence was deployed by the Tripoli-based unity government. "Voting today in Tripoli is crucial for me because it makes me feel useful," said Sami el-Tajuri, a 62-year-old architect, adding that his three children are voting for the first time. "It's frustrating to see that I can have my say in who will represent me but so many other Libyans, especially in the east, cannot". Since Kadhafi's overthrow, Libya has been split between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and its eastern rival, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Elections were initially scheduled in 63 municipalities -- 41 in the west, 13 in the east and nine in the south. But the High National Election Commission (HNEC) suspended elections in 11 municipalities, mostly in Haftar-controlled areas, due to "irregularities", including unexplained halts in voter card distribution. On Saturday, the commission announced the postponement to August 23 of elections in seven more municipalities, mostly in the west, including four in the Zawiyah area, as well as Surman and Sabratha. The delays followed Friday arson attacks that destroyed electoral materials in Zawiyah and Sahel al-Gharbi. And on Tuesday, the electoral body said a group of armed men attacked its headquarters in Zliten, some 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of Tripoli. It made no mention of any casualties, although the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said there were some injuries. "These attacks, on the eve of polling day, threaten the conduct of the ongoing municipal elections and the broader democratic aspirations of the Libyan people," UNSMIL said. "Such criminal acts represent another grave assault on the electoral process and a blatant attempt to disenfranchise citizens, undermine their right to choose their representatives, and obstruct the democratic process," the mission added. For Tripoli resident Esraa Abdelmomen, 36, a mother of three, the municipal elections were "very important" because they determine who would manage government-allocated funds. After Kadhafi's overthrow, Libya held its first freely contested elections in 2012 for the 200 members of the General National Congress. That was followed by nationwide municipal elections in 2013 and legislative polls in June 2014, which were marred by renewed violence and very low turnout.
