ADF

ADF STAFF The Sahel region has emerged as a new drug trafficking epicenter in recent years. According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, authorities seized 41 kilograms of cocaine in 2021. The number spiked to 1,466 kilograms the next year — an increase of 3,476%. Annual estimates are not available for 2023, but 2.3 metric tons of cocaine had already been seized in Mauritania by June last year, and the trend of large drug busts has continued. In April 2024, Senegalese authorities seized more than a metric ton of cocaine worth nearly $150 million from…

ADF STAFF The chaos that has engulfed Sudan since war broke out in April 2023 could make the country a nexus for terrorism that connects violent extremists in the Sahel with terror groups in Somalia and even Yemen, observers say. “I really feel quite frightened about this,” Abdalla Hamdok, Sudan’s former prime minister, told the Financial Times. “With Sudan bordering seven countries, it will become fertile ground for terrorism in a region that is very fragile.” Hamdok said a return to civilian rule is the best way to prevent terrorism from taking root in Sudan. After he took the reins…

ADF STAFF The flow of arms into Sub-Saharan Africa is declining, and the role of longtime suppliers such as Russia and China has diminished as other actors enter the mix. The Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) recently published a series of reports on this complex trend, based on data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The overall decline is due in part to economic constraints, changes in relations between Sub-Saharan countries and other nations, and supply chain issues related to Russia’s war with Ukraine. Between 2014 and 2018, Russia and China were the largest exporters…

ADF STAFF After forming alliances with military-led juntas in the Sahel, Russia might be moving its influence campaign south by supporting social unrest in Nigeria. During a 10-day August protest demanding better governance, some demonstrators in the northwestern city of Kano suddenly produced Russian flags and called on Russia to pressure the federal government for regime change. Authorities arrested 90 people for waving or making Russian flags. Nigerian Chief of Defense Gen. Christopher Musa told reporters the government would not accept citizens flying foreign flags. “We will not accept anyone pushing for a change of government,” Musa said. Injecting Russian…

Nearly two years after the signing of the Pretoria Agreement that was intended to end the war in Ethiopia, fighters in Tigray remain armed and the threat of violence looms. An estimated 75,000 to 100,000 Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters carry weapons such as heavy mortars, artillery and machine guns, Amhara News Service reported. In an interview with Lualawi Media, Ethiopian Defense Chief of Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula conceded that there is no timeline for their total disarmament. “It is concerning, but what can [the government] do?” Berhanu said. Many of these armed fighters are occupying schools, which…

ADF STAFF After nearly a year under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), West Darfur has become a new front in the conflict between Sudan’s warring generals. In recent weeks, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and regional militias have scored important victories against RSF fighters, most recently retaking the community of Kulbus. The Sudanese Joint Force, formerly known as the Joint Force of Armed Struggle Movements, reports taking control of Jebel Awum near Sudan’s border with Chad. The group is allied with the SAF. The Joint Force includes Darfuri militias Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the…

ADF STAFF A regional office for innovative gender-based violence solutions in Southern Africa is in the works, according to the Zambian Defense Force (ZDF). That was just one product of a workshop in Lusaka from September 23 to October 2 that sought to boost ZDF and regional capabilities to combat gender-based violence (GBV). The ZDF hosted regional military officials in the weeklong workshop as part of its partnership with United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to address GBV. At the event’s conclusion, ZDF Staff Sgt. Kalumbi Esther thanked participants for working to build and strengthen regional initiatives. “The knowledge and expertise…

U.S. Africa Command Staff It no longer takes an army or even traditional weapons to attack a nation. Some of the most devastating attacks can be carried out using only a computer, a mobile phone or other off-the-shelf technology.  Often called “hybrid warfare,” this category combines conventional and unconventional attacks. It includes threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation or attacks on critical national infrastructure. Some hybrid attacks are obvious, others can go undetected for years.  Perpetrators view hybrid tactics as a relatively cheap way to make a big impact. The goal is to shake the stability of the targeted country.  Russia is…

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema addressed the 12th African Land Forces Summit in Livingstone, Zambia, on April 24, 2024. The theme of the conference was “Regional Solutions to Transnational Problems.” Hichilema was the first head of state to speak at the summit since its inaugural iteration in 2010. His remarks have been edited for length and clarity. We want to express to this distinguished gathering of commanders how delighted we are that 38-plus African countries would be gathering here in our country in the days we have been here. Let me also express our delight to the choice of the theme,…

ADF STAFF The Tanzania Forest Services Agency is adding drones to the tools it uses to protect dwindling woodland areas, which are under pressure from a variety of sources. “Drone technology is important because it will help us cover a large area and leave the remainder to patrols using vehicles and motorcycles,” said Dos Santos Silayo, the agency’s commissioner for conservation. The agency announced the deployment of four new vehicles and nearly 40 motorcycles to patrol Tanzania’s forests. “We are committed to enhancing the sector by equipping you with the necessary tools and expertise to drive positive outcomes in forest…