Africa
Uganda: troops in Kampala and internet services banned before election
On 15 January Uganda headed into a tense election as Yoweri Museveni sought a seventh term as president after nearly four decades in power. The final days of campaigning have been marked by…
Equatorial Guinea: US payment to accept deportees sharply criticised
The US government has made a $7.5 million payment to the government of Equatorial Guinea as it seeks agreements to deport migrants to third countries, prompting sharp criticism from a top Democratic senator.…
Burkina Faso: new coup attempt thwarted
Authorities in Burkina Faso say they have thwarted a new coup attempt, underscoring ongoing political instability in the West African nation. Officials said the alleged plot was uncovered late on 3 January before…
Morocco: response to severe winter emergency
Authorities in Morocco are confronting a severe winter emergency as freezing temperatures, heavy rainfall, snowfall, and flash floods impact large swathes of the country. In response, they have launched a nationwide relief operation…
Sudan: former Janjaweed commander sentenced by ICC for Darfur war crimes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced former Janjaweed commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, better known as Ali Kushayb, to twenty years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in…
Mozambique: 100,000 forced to flee after attacks by armed groups
Nearly 100,000 people in northern Mozambique have fled in recent weeks as armed groups have stormed their villages, often at night. They have burnt homes, killed civilians, and forced families to escape without…
Nigeria: mass kidnapping from a Catholic school
On 21 November, at St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger state, more than three hundred students were abducted in a mass kidnapping - the worst such attack recorded against a Catholic school in…
Nigeria: danger of mass starvation in 2026
Northern Nigeria is facing a rapidly escalating hunger emergency as militant attacks make it too dangerous for farmers to work their land. According to a new World Food Programme (WFP) report, Nigeria is…
Malawi: faith leaders challenge high court decision on abortion
A recent High Court decision in Malawi has ignited significant national debate by ruling that a 14-year-old girl, pregnant due to rape, must be granted access to a safe abortion. The judgment held…
Mali: abuses by former Wagner mercenaries
Testimonies from refugees in Mauritania reveal severe human rights abuses committed during counter-insurgency operations in Mali involving Russian mercenaries formerly associated with the Wagner Group. Witnesses describe arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings…
