First Independent Mena Newspaper
Less than two years after seizing power, Niger’s junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani is struggling to contain a growing jihadist insurgency that threatens both his authority and national stability. Despite bold promises to restore security and sovereignty after the 2023 coup, Tiani’s regime faces escalating attacks from al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic […]
Mali’s military government has formally granted junta leader General Assimi Goïta a five-year presidential term, renewable indefinitely and without elections, marking a sharp turn away from democratic governance in the Sahel nation. The new law, adopted unanimously by 131 members of the National Transitional Council last week, states Goïta’s power may be extended “as many […]
China’s long-held strategy of “regime-agnostic” engagement in Africa is under strain as mounting instability in Niger threatens billions in Chinese investments, says a new study. A new report by the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies warns that China’s transactional diplomacy — prioritizing control over constitutional legitimacy — has left its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) vulnerable […]
Ukraine is reportedly deepening its presence in Africa, offering military training, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic support to counter Russia’s growing influence, particularly in the Sahel region. As Moscow-backed mercenaries spread across conflict zones like Mali, Ukraine has launched a strategic push to win allies on the continent and undermine Kremlin-backed operations. Kyiv’s latest initiative includes […]
Mali has started building a new gold refinery with Russian and Swiss partners, which officials say will help the country gain greater control over its gold exports, Reuters reported. The 200-ton-capacity facility is being developed in partnership with Russia’s Yadran Group and a Swiss investment firm, with the Malian state holding a controlling stake. At […]
The United Nations has issued a dire warning that five countries — Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine (Gaza), Mali, and Haiti — are facing an imminent risk of famine, driven largely by conflict, climate shocks, and economic decline. In its latest Hunger Hotspots report released Monday (16 June), the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Food […]
Mali’s transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goita, could remain in power until at least 2030 — without facing an election after a controversial bill approved by Mali’s Council of Ministers on 11 June has proposed granting Goita a renewable five-year term starting in 2025. The bill, now awaiting ratification by the National Transitional Council, cements a […]
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has emerged as the most powerful militant force in West Africa, now commanding up to 6,000 fighters and staging coordinated, high-impact attacks across the Sahel, experts warn. According new analysis titled ‘JNIM Expanding Geographic Reach and Staging Coordinated Attacks in the Sahel’, JNIM’s recent assaults in Timbuktu […]
The Russian mercenary group Wagner has officially announced its departure from Mali after over three years of operations against Islamist insurgents. But Moscow’s military footprint in the West African country remains intact through the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, signaling a strategic shift rather than a retreat. Wagner declared its mission “accomplished,” citing the restoration of government […]
The Malian army successfully repelled a jihadist assault on its military camp in Timbuktu on Monday (2 June), just one day after a deadly attack in Boulkessi left at least 30 soldiers dead. According to the Malian Armed Forces, 13 attackers were “neutralized” during the attempted infiltration of the Timbuktu camp. Witnesses reported a car […]