Africa

Analysts worried by report of Sahel militants crossing into Nigeria

Regional security analysts are warning Nigerian authorities to take caution following a new report that armed militants operating in Africa’s volatile Sahel region have a found their way into northwest Nigeria through the borders of the Republic of Benin.

Wednesday’s security report, “Dangerous Liaisons” by the Dutch research think tank Clingendael Institute, is the latest indicator that militants are migrating from the Sahel to wealthier coastal nations in the region.

What to know about Russia’s growing footprint in Africa

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat pledged help and military assistance while on a whirlwind tour of several countries in Africa’s sub-Saharan region of Sahel this week, as Moscow seeks to grow its influence in the restive, mineral-rich section of the continent.

Cairo’s double game in Gaza

The Israel Defense Force’s move last week into the southern Gaza city of Rafah has exploded in Egypt like a 2,000-pound bomb. Cairo has long been playing a double game, holding Hamas terrorists near while simultaneously trying to appear helpful to the United States and Israel.

Oil majors offered faster Nigerian exit if they pay for cleanup

Major oil companies such as Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), opens new tab and Shell (SHEL.L)
, opens new tab that aim to exit Nigeria’s onshore oil can get quicker approval to do so if they take responsibility for spills rather than wait for authorities to apportion blame, the regulator said on Friday.
Exxon, Shell, TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) have all sought to leave Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger delta in recent years citing security concerns, including theft and sabotage, to focus on deepwater drilling. However, their exits have been delayed by regulatory hurdles.

Iran’s Dangerous New Terror Proxy: Sudan

Iran’s Encirclement of Israel, Control of Red Sea, Almost Complete

  • “What makes the future in this case darker is Sudan’s history of hosting extremists and jihadists from the far right and far left. During the previous regime, Sudan hosted Osama bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Carlos the Jackal. This warm embrace of violent extremists earned Sudan a spot on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.”— Areej Elhag, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, January 31, 2024.
  • The bottom line for America and Europe is that the strategy of engaging and appeasing Iran has failed miserably.
  • The U.S. and Europe must step up now to counter Iran’s efforts in the Middle East and Sudan.
  • We cannot allow new “proxies of terror” for Iran.

While the Biden administration is preoccupied trying to win re-election this November, as well as putting out a series of fires it helped start in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, a new area of urgent concern, largely flying under the public’s radar, has been brewing: Iran’s increasing penetration of Sudan.

What Is the Extent of Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis?

A year into the civil war in Sudan, more than eight million people have been displaced, exacerbating an already devastating humanitarian crisis.

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since fighting erupted on April 15, 2023, between the nation’s military, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has worsened an already precarious humanitarian situation, driving the spread of mass-starvation conditions. Meanwhile, neighboring countries have taken in more than one million refugees, risking broader destabilization across the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions.

The Forgotten War—8.5 million people displaced in Sudan

The latest civil war which erupted in Sudan in mid-April 2023 has very recently completed one year. On this occasion the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that there is a humanitarian situation so serious in Sudan that nearly half the population needs life-saving assistance. The condition of women and children is particularly precarious.

Said-al-Jamal

Terror organization: Houthis

Status: Financier

Role: He is running a network (companies in the Middle East, Asia and Africa) generates tens of millions of dollars in revenue from the sale of Iranian commodities, Iranian petroleum, a significant portion of which is then directed through a complex network of intermediaries and exchange houses in multiple countries to the Houthis in Yemen.