Sahel Archives - Now In Africa

Escalating Insurgent Attacks in Northern Mali Deal Heavy Blow to Military Government

Mali’s ruling military government is confronting one of its most serious security challenges in years after insurgents killed at least 50 soldiers in an ambush near the northern town of Anefis. The assault, claimed by both Tuareg separatists and Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist groups, has laid bare the mounting pressure faced by the junta more than three […]

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Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in ambush on joint convoy with Russian Africa Corps

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A military convoy operating jointly with Mali’s armed forces and Russia’s Africa Corps came under attack, leaving at least 50 Malian soldiers dead, according to reports. The ambush highlights the persistent and worsening security challenges facing the country’s transitional authorities, who have relied heavily on Russian military support to combat armed groups across the vast

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Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in major attack claimed by separatists and jihadists

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At least 50 Malian soldiers killed in attack by separatists and jihadists Mali’s armed forces have suffered one of their heaviest losses in recent years after a coordinated attack by Tuareg separatists and jihadist militants left at least 50 soldiers dead and dozens more captured, according to local sources who spoke to AFP on Sunday.

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Tuareg separatists and jihadist allies ambush convoy heading to besieged Mali military camp

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Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front, operating alongside jihadist allies, ambushed a convoy carrying Russian soldiers and Malian troops as it moved to reinforce a military camp in the northern town of Anefis, according to reports from the region. The attack on Thursday highlighted the persistent insecurity across northern Mali, where a constellation of

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France Completes Diplomatic Withdrawal from Burkina Faso Amid Prolonged Rift

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France has completed the withdrawal of its entire diplomatic team from Burkina Faso, the French foreign ministry has confirmed, bringing to a close more than four years of progressively strained relations between Paris and the military-led government in Ouagadougou. The move follows Burkina Faso’s formal decision to break off diplomatic ties with its former colonial

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Mali’s junta faces renewed jihadist threat in the north as attacks raise fears for Timbuktu

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Mali’s military-led government is confronting one of the most serious security escalations in months, as a wave of coordinated attacks by jihadist fighters targets army positions across the country’s vast northern hinterland. The renewed offensive has revived concerns about the stability of the historic city of Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has long

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Northern Mali faces renewed rebel assaults as analyst warns of ‘diversion’ tactics

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Mali’s military has confirmed that several towns in the country’s restive north came under attack by rebel groups over the weekend, including the key garrison city of Gao and the transport hub of Sévaré. The strikes come amid an announced new offensive aimed at seizing additional territory in a region that has struggled to stabilise

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Suspected jihadists launch coordinated attacks across Mali, hitting towns, military sites and a prison

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Suspected jihadists and Tuareg separatist fighters have launched a wave of coordinated attacks across Mali, hitting several towns, military positions and a major prison in what observers describe as a sharp escalation of the country’s long-running conflict. The assaults span multiple regions of the vast West African state, underscoring the widening geographic reach of armed

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Mali army reports insurgent attacks on multiple towns and a prison

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Mali’s army has reported a coordinated series of insurgent attacks across at least five locations in the country early on Saturday, including an assault on a prison in the town of Kenieroba. According to a military statement, fighters targeted several sites in what officials described as part of a broader campaign of violence destabilising large

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Burkina Faso’s diplomatic rupture with France: what comes next?

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Burkina Faso announced on 26 June that it was cutting its diplomatic ties with France, marking a further deterioration in relations between Ouagadougou and one of its former colonial powers. The decision adds Burkina Faso to a growing list of Sahelian states that have reassessed their longstanding partnerships with Paris, reshaping the geopolitical landscape of

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Burkina Faso severs diplomatic ties with France, accusing Paris of undermining national interests

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Burkina Faso’s military government has announced the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with France, accusing the former colonial power of acting against the country’s national interests. The decision represents one of the most significant ruptures in the long and complicated relationship between Ouagadougou and Paris since the West African nation gained independence more than six

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Burkina Faso junta severs diplomatic ties with France, accuses Paris of backing militants

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Burkina Faso’s military government announced on Friday that it is severing diplomatic relations with France, accusing Paris of acting against the country’s interests and of supporting armed groups operating across the Sahel region. The decision marks the most dramatic escalation yet in the junta’s confrontation with its former colonial ruler. An end to formal ties

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