Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Endorse Morocco’s Atlantic Port Corridor
The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger backed Morocco’s Atlantic corridor initiative, aiming to develop rail and road access to the Atlantic Ocean as an alternative to coastal ECOWAS countries’ ports (Reuters)
Twelve Nigerien Soldiers Killed in Border Attack
An attack near the village of Sakoira in western Niger resulted in the deaths of twelve soldiers; the Nigerien army described the incident as a “surprise offensive” by unidentified terrorists in the volatile tri-border area (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso’s junta signed a new gold mining agreement with Russian firm Nordgold, granting the minerals giant access to the Niou gold deposit in the center of the country (Reuters)
At Least Twenty Killed in Attack on Northwestern Nigerian Mining Town
Armed men attacked the village of Gobirawa Chali in Zamfara state, Nigeria, killing at least twenty people, including fourteen at a gold-mining site; local authorities attributed the assault to bandits (AP News)
Meanwhile, ECOWAS initiated the process of moving key institutions out of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger following their withdrawal from the bloc (Business Insider Africa)
Nigerien and Nigerian Leaders to Meet as Diplomatic Rift Eases
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Niger’s junta leader Abdourahamane Tchiani are set to meet, signaling a thaw in relations after nearly two years of diplomatic tensions; the meeting was announced following a productive encounter between the foreign ministers of both countries (Naija News;The Defense Post)
Meanwhile, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed responsibility for an attack that killed thirty Malian soldiers in the eastern Gao region (Reuters)
More Than Fifty Dead as Herder-Farmer Violence Intensifies in Nigeria
At least fifty-six people are dead following attacks by Muslim nomadic cattle herders on Christian farmers in Benue state (Al Jazeera)
Al-Qaeda Affiliate Kills Over Fifty Soldiers in Benin Attack
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for an attack on military posts in northern Benin’s Alibori region; the Beninese government confirmed at least fifty-four fatalities (AP News)
Mali Shuts Barrick Gold Office Amid Tax Dispute
Malian authorities closed the Bamako office of Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold over alleged unpaid taxes (Reuters)
Meanwhile, a Swiss national was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Niger’s northern city of Agadez (Yahoo)
Notorious Nigerian Bandit Killed Along With One Hundred Followers
Nigerian authorities reported they had eliminated a notorious bandit kingpin by the name of Gwaska Dankarami in a military operation in northwestern Nigeria, along with over a hundred of his followers; Dankarami was said to have served as second-in-command to an Islamic State leader (BBC)
Boko Haram Makes Gains in Northeast Nigeria
The governor of Borno state reported that Boko Haram insurgents have intensified attacks and kidnappings in the region, with little to no pushback from government security forces (Reuters)
Algeria-Mali Tensions
The countries canceled flights going back and forth amid a row over a Malian drone that Algeria shot down last week, claiming it was violating national airspace; Mali, which uses drones against rebels, disputed the claim, saying the wreckage was found several miles from its border (Reuters)
Mali and its allies Burkina Faso and Niger withdrew their ambassadors from Algeria, which responded by doing the same (AP)
Dozens Dead as Intercommunal Violence Breaks Out in Central Nigeria
Suspected intercommunal violence in Nigeria’s Plateau state resulted in over forty deaths, as Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers clashed (France 24)
Russia to Arm West African Juntas
Moscow will provide weapons and training to a new joint security force of the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said; paramilitary fighters from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group have been active in all three countries in recent years (Bloomberg)
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Foreign Ministers to Visit Moscow
The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are scheduled to visit Moscow to strengthen ties and discuss potential cooperation with Russia (Reuters)
The military-led alliance of Sahel states has imposed a 0.5 percent import duty on goods from ECOWAS nations, escalating tensions between the two blocs (Business Insider Africa)
Meanwhile, Spain is urging the European Union to focus more attention on Africa’s Sahel region, emphasizing the need for a strategic review of European policies to address security and development challenges (Bloomberg)
Togo Announces Intention to Join Alliance of Sahel States
Togo’s Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, announced the country’s intention to join the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) (Sahel Intelligence)
Ghanaians in Niger Express Interest in Joining Alliance of Sahel States
During President John Mahama’s tour of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, some Ghanaians residing in Niger expressed support for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and hope for Ghana to join the alliance (Business Insider Africa)
Nigeria Seeks Algerian Mediation to Combat Sahel Terrorism Financing
Facing a deteriorating security situation, Nigeria has approached Algeria to mediate with its Sahel neighbors—Burkina Faso and Niger—to revive regional cooperation aimed at defeating terrorism financing (Africa Intelligence)
Nigerian Army Kills Top Boko Haram Commander
The Nigerian army has reportedly eliminated a top Boko Haram commander known as Abba Alai after a successful counterinsurgency operation in the northeastern region of Borno State (Chronicle NG)
Al-Qaeda Affiliates JNIM Kill Eleven Soldiers in Northern Niger
Eleven Nigerien soldiers were killed after an ambush on an army patrol near the Algerian border by the militant group JNIM (Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda (Arab News)
Ten militants and one soldier were left dead after violent clashes on Benin side’s of its border with Niger between military and irregular forces; the clashes have heightened existing fears of violence spilling over from the central Sahel into other West African countries (VOA)
Eleven Dead Following Boko Haram Attack on Nigerian Gold Mine
At least eleven were killed and two critically injured after affiliates of the terrorist organization Boko Haram attacked a gold mine in Karaga, a village in northern Nigeria (News Central)
Sixteen Dead After Armed Bandits Attack Villagers in Southwestern Niger
A group of armed bandits killed sixteen people throughout two separate attacks in Dioundiou, a village in southwestern Niger near the Benin border; though the bandits remain unidentified, local sources report they operated like local jihadists (News Central)
Ruling Party in Chad Wins Nearly All Seats in Senate Elections
The ruling party of President Mahamt Idriss Deby won forty-five of forty-six seats in Chad’s most recent senate election, further consolidating the president’s absolute hold on power (TimesLive)
Malian Army to Open Investigation Into Attack on Civilians in Eastern Mali
The Azawad Liberation Front (ALF) accused the Malian army and Wagner mercenaries of killing at least twenty-four civilians traveling from the eastern city of Gao to Algeria early last week (Al Jazeera)
Around Eighty French Military Personnel to Remain in Ivory Coast As Paris Hands Over Control of Its Military Base
The troops would be the base of a joint force responsive to local needs (France24)
Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, and Senegal have all asked French troops to leave in recent years; the French military maintains deployments in Djibouti and Gabon (WaPo)
Deadly Attack in Northeast Mali Kills At Least Twenty-Five Civilians
Unidentified assailants ambushed a convoy of gold miners near the city of Gao; the convoy was escorted by Malian security forces (AP)