First Independent Mena Newspaper
Nigeria’s military and the junta in neighboring Niger have signed a new security agreement that aims to bolster regional stability and security a year after their normally positive bilateral ties soured after Niger’s coup in July 2023. Despite strained relations and their shared border being closed as part of the sanctions imposed by the Economic […]
The Russian private military company Bear Brigade has confirmed earlier reports by the French daily Le Monde that it had departed from Burkina Faso after arriving in the country in May. The 100-strong Bear Brigade, with links to Russia’s Defense Ministry, is withdrawing its fighters from the conflict-torn West African country due to Ukraine’s incursion […]
Algeria continues its refoulement of Sub-Saharans abandoning over 2000 on August 1-12 on the borders with Niger in inhumane conditions, according to French radio RFI. The migrants were dumped in the desert in extreme heat about 15 kilometers away from Essamaka, where an IOM center is based. Aziz Chehou, coordinator of Alarm Phone Sahara (APS) […]
Sahel Nations demand UN action on alleged Ukrainian interference In a bold diplomatic move, three West African nations have called upon the United Nations Security Council to address what they claim is Ukraine’s support for terrorism in the Sahel region. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have united in their demand for international intervention to prevent […]
The British Government continues to provide military support to Israel’s ruling extreme right. Despite facing accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the British government has advised against traveling to several countries, recommending travel only for essential reasons. The list of nations subject to the travel warning includes Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the […]
Mali and Niger have cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine due to a controversial statement by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR), with some observers warning that a harsh reaction from Burkina Faso is to be expected, given the latter’s strong allegiance to Mali and Niger. A single statement implicating Ukraine in the death of dozens of […]
The United States has concluded its military presence in Niger, transferring control of its last base to local authorities. This marks the end of a crucial hub for American counterterrorism operations in the region. The handover of Airbase 201 in Agadez follows the recent withdrawal from Airbase 101 in Niamey, adhering to the September 15 […]
Niger’s oil exports are under threat, as armed rebels have warned of more attacks on the pipeline designed to carry oil to neighboring Benin, prompting a Chinese state-owned petroleum company to recently suspend all construction at the Agadem oilfield in eastern Niger. Recent months have seen a series of attacks by the Patriotic Liberation Front […]
Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan, earlier this week, led a delegation to Niger to discuss uranium supplies, Bloomberg reported. The delegation “wants to tap Nigerien supplies of the fissile mineral to fuel Turkey’s nascent nuclear-power industry,” it said. The two parties agreed to boost cooperation on energy, mining, intelligence, and defense, at a time Niger […]
Germany’s top diplomat has talked up the prospect of closer political ties with Senegal and the Ivory Coast, two of the last democracies in a region otherwise plagued by sectarian conflict, in the latest attempt by a senior EU politician to rebuild the bloc’s political influence in West Africa. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is […]