ADF

As China has expanded its investment in mineral mining projects on the continent, allegations of environmental and human rights abuses have risen at an alarming rate. The Business and Human Rights Centre, an international nonprofit organization that promotes corporate accountability and transparency, revealed in a July report that allegations of abuse linked to Chinese mining in Africa more than doubled from 45 in 2024 to 100 in 2025. The abuses involve the mining of energy transition materials, which are naturally occurring metallic and non-metallic substances key to many high-tech devices and electric vehicles. Worldwide, the Centre documented 326 allegations of…

Over the last two years, Somalia’s al-Shabaab terrorists have established a relationship with Houthi rebels in Yemen — one that could alter the decades-long battle between the al-Qaida affiliate and government forces in Mogadishu. A new report by The Century Foundation (TCF) public policy research institution outlines the evolving ties between al-Shabaab and the Houthis as the Somalia-based terrorists seek to gain both knowledge and, potentially, technology from the Iranian-backed Houthis. So far, the relationship has been built around training and knowledge transfer, with hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters traveling from their base in southern Somalia to western Yemen to learn…

The Sudanese Armed Forces might be using and stockpiling chlorine-based chemical weapons for use against the rival Rapid Support Forces in the country’s ongoing civil war, according to new reporting. Documents, videos and intercepted communications appear to describe a program for making chlorine-based munitions, with stockpiles numbering in the hundreds, according to news organizations including The New York Times and The Washington Post. The examined material appears to show weapons being developed and tested in a factory. Mark Albon, former head of the United Nations Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ investigation unit in Syria, told a panel in…

Drones have become an in-demand surveillance tool and weapon of choice with 34 African nations operating drone programs. But a new report suggests that a lack of proper training and oversight has turned drones into a threat for civilians who may be mistaken for military targets. According to a report by Nigerian nonprofit news organization HumAngle, the race to acquire AI-enabled drones is leaving behind a devastating trail of civilian casualties. “The weapons are said to be precise, but evidence proves their use has put civilians in harm’s way,” HumAngle reported in a recent study. Over the past five years,…

Yemen’s Houthi rebels are sending weapons across the Red Sea and sharing technology and knowledge with armed groups in a way that could upend East Africa’s security landscape, a new report shows. The 41-page August 2026 report, “From Spoke to Hub: The Houthis in Africa,” by the nonpartisan think tank Century International details the Houthis’ “multifaceted effort to expand their presence and influence along the African coast of the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.” “Since the early 2020s, alone and in concert with Iran, the Yemeni group has established itself as a key player in illicit trade in Yemen…

Members of the Tunisian Special Operations Maritime Task Group rappelled from a Tunisian UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter and onto a large vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. Joined by United States Marine Corps members, they then descended a staircase onto the deck, where they searched for contraband, opened a hatch and pointed their guns inside. The forces were participating in a visit, board, search and seizure operation during Phoenix Express 2026, a 12-day event. It encouraged international collaboration to address human trafficking, illegal fishing, piracy and fuel smuggling in the region. Tunisia hosted the training, sponsored by United States Africa Command and…

The late August mutiny against Niger’s ruling junta raised questions about its dependence on Russia’s Africa Corps for security, growing discontent among front-line soldiers, and the apparent weakness of the country’s defense alliance with Burkina Faso and Mali. Violence broke out in and around the Nigerien capital around 1 a.m. on August 29 as dozens of soldiers opened fire on the presidential palace while attempting to take control of Niamey’s international airport and the adjoining Air Base 101. Many of the rebelling soldiers were part of missions to fight terrorists in the south and west of the country. Air Base…

Terror groups and criminal gangs are turning kidnapping for ransom into a lucrative business in Nigeria. These groups were paid $5.8 million in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026, more than triple the amount paid over the previous period. Kidnappers abducted at least 7,825 people, up 66%, and killed at least 1,142 people, including 895 civilians. That is according to a report by SBM Intelligence, a consultancy firm in Lagos, which found that 90% of the ransoms paid went to the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of Boko Haram. Two mass abductions by the group accounted for…

As insurgencies multiply in Africa, militaries are investing in special operations forces (SOF). These highly trained, disciplined operators take on asymmetric threats using speed, stealth and lethality. But as the importance of SOF grows, it must adapt to meet 21st century challenges. Cross-border terror attacks, weaponized drones, AI-backed cyberattacks — all these threats require new partnerships and training. Leaders have found that SOF must be interoperable to be effective. Although SOF personnel of African nations speak different languages, use different hardware and follow different procedures, they share the same bond of selfless service to their respective countries. To work together,…

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama commissioned officer cadets into the Ghana Armed Forces during a January 30, 2026, ceremony at Ranger Baba Parade Square, Whistler Barracks, Teshie, Accra. His remarks have been edited for space and clarity. The security environment in our subregion remains complicated and volatile. Violent extremism, terrorism and transnational crime continue to pose serious threats, particularly along our northern border. Globally, the rise of nonstate actors and asymmetric warfare has reshaped the nature of security challenges. These realities demand a comprehensive and coordinated national response. Security cannot be seen as a sole responsibility of the armed forces…