First Independent Mena Newspaper
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have officially launched a joint military force aimed at tackling Islamist insurgencies and cross-border insecurity, deepening their security cooperation outside the framework of West Africa’s ECOWAS bloc. The new formation, called the United Force of the Alliance of Sahel States (FU-AES), was unveiled on Dec 20 at an airbase in […]
Algerian dissident and former army officer Anouar Malek unveiled explosive findings from his latest book, “The Polisario and Iran: Secrets of Terrorism from Tehran to Tindouf.” In an exclusive interview with le360, Malek, backed by documents and testimonies, highlighted the evolution of Algerian proxy, the Polisario Front, into a strategic arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard […]
Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine delivered a scathing address at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing France of actively undermining his country’s sovereignty through what he called a “sneaky and subversive destabilization plan.” Zeine alleged that since French troops were expelled from Niger in 2023, Paris has been “training, financing, and equipping terrorists” […]
Somaliland’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, is offering the United States access to a strategic military base near the Red Sea and critical mineral resources, including lithium, in exchange for formal diplomatic recognition. The breakaway region, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has yet to receive international recognition despite decades of stability and democratic […]
The Sahel region, long a hub for trade between sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb, has now become a hotspot for illicit activities, with organized criminal gangs exploiting the instability caused by political unrest. Smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trade have flourished amid weak governance, fueling violence and displacement. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the […]
Somalia has intensified its campaign against terrorism financing, taking decisive action to dismantle the financial infrastructure sustaining extremist group Al-Shabaab. The National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), led by Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh, reported the deactivation of 575 mobile lines and the freezing of 21 bank accounts […]
Burkina Faso’s military government claims it has thwarted a coup plot aimed at toppling junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, alleging foreign involvement and links to terrorism. Security minister Mahamadou Sana said the plan, uncovered by intelligence services, involved current and former soldiers collaborating with terrorist groups. The coup attempt was scheduled for 16 April and […]
The first issue of the Middle East and North Africa Journal on Violence and Extremism (MENAVEX) has been officially released. This marks the launch of the region’s first peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated exclusively to the study of extremism and terrorism. Published in both print and electronic formats, the journal is supported by a distinguished scientific […]
The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are set to visit Moscow this week to deepen their strategic partnership with Russia, marking a significant shift in the region’s diplomatic and security landscape. The visit, scheduled for 3-4 April, represents the first-ever AES-Russia consultations following the establishment of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) […]
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a 5,000-member counterterrorism force in response to the escalating security crisis in the Sahel and wider West Africa. Announced during the 43rd meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja, this force is designed to confront the growing influence of jihadist […]