ADF

Recent protests in the Central African Republic (CAR) could have the government reconsidering its relationship with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Thousands of people held signs and marched in the streets of the capital, Bangui, on April 4 to rally against the ongoing presence of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries who have guarded President Faustin Archange Touadéra. Wagner fighters have acted as Touadéra’s personal security detail since 2018. They helped him change the constitution by referendum in July 2023, which allows him to stay in power indefinitely. “We’re here to say no to a third term for Faustin Archange Touadéra. But…

Africa accounted for 57% of the total quantity of pharmaceutical opioids seized worldwide between 2019 and 2023, according to a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The estimated use of opioids on the continent was highest in Central and West Africa. The UNODC’s 2025 World Drug Report shows that although Africa remains a transit hub for drugs headed to other regions, drugs increasingly are consumed on the continent, particularly cannabis — Africa’s most trafficked, sourced and sold drug — as well as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and synthetic drugs. Statistics in the report were compiled…

Old adversaries Ethiopia and Eritrea appear to be marching toward war, as saber-rattling has escalated into threats, and troops are massing at the shared border. Shifting alliances, geopolitical aspirations, ethnic divisions and contested access to the Red Sea have become a pressure cooker in the Horn of Africa. Some experts are warning of a growing sense that violent conflict, if not regional warfare, is imminent. “The Ethiopian government never indicated it would move to secure sea access through force, but Eritrea is gearing up its military for war. Reports indicate it has fortified its border with Ethiopia,” political analyst Constantinos…

Ghanaian authorities are promising to punish Chinese nationals involved in illegal gold mining as the government tries to reduce the environmental and societal damage being caused by the small-scale mining known as galamsey. “The laws of Ghana will deal ruthlessly with Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining,” Dr. Hannah Louisa Bissiw-Kotei, administrator for Ghana’s Mineral Development Fund, said during a recent media briefing. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have attempted to deflect blame from Chinese nationals goldmining in the country, saying the Ghanaian government and its people are the ones behind illegal gold mining and the damage it causes. Observers say that…

It has been two years since Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani overthrew Niger’s democratically elected president and pledged to restore security to the country. However, the latest data shows Tiani has made little progress against a rising tide of terrorist violence. “Until the fall of 2023, the insurgencies in Niger were at a relatively steady state,” analyst Michael DeAngelo wrote recently for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. “Niger’s pre-coup approach was a limited success, while its post-coup approach is a failure.” Before the 2023 coup, then-President Mohamed Bazoum pursued a policy of increased security within insurgent areas paired with talks to determine…

A man in Freetown, Sierra Leone, inhaled from a kush cigarette, a synthetic drug that looks like marijuana but can be 25 times more powerful than fentanyl. He was one of dozens of people smoking the drug under a bridge, where trash and blankets are strewn in the dirt. For a while, the man seemed to savor the drug’s effects, but he slowly nodded off. Seated, his chin slowly dropped toward his chest. Beside him, a man fell backward onto a tire, unconscious, his arms spread like a knocked-out boxer. Nearby, a young man also was unconscious but standing, his…

The Islamic State group’s attack on Puntland Defense Forces early in 2025 represented a key change in tactics and technology from those used previously. Where earlier attacks had been carried out with improvised explosive devices, the twin January assaults employed aerial drones. It was Islamic State (IS) in Somalia’s first successful use of drones against the government forces trying to drive the group out of the Cal Miskat mountains. The drone attacks on January 20 and 23 targeted the Puntland Dervish Force and Puntland Maritime Police Force at their base in Buuraha Cali Miskat. At least two Soldiers died, and…

Private military companies, private security companies, paramilitary forces and mercenaries have operated in Africa for decades, but their use by African nations has spiked in recent years, causing concern among the continent’s security experts. The numbers are staggering. At the height of the conflict in Libya, there were an estimated 20,000 foreign fighters supporting both warring factions. Russia’s Wagner Group alone deployed an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 mercenary forces to countries including the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali and Sudan with plans to grow its force size on the continent to 20,000. “We are witnessing the ever-increasing presence of mercenaries…

As two generals in Sudan wreak havoc on their nation in their own quests for wealth and power, other countries have pitched in, looking for a piece of the action. The war, which began in 2023, has devastated the country. Some estimates place the death toll as high as 150,000. More than 14.6 million people have lost their homes, making it the world’s worst displacement crisis. It also has brought the country to the brink of famine, with 30.4 million people — more than half the country’s population — needing humanitarian support. The warring factions in Sudan’s “Generals’ war” are…

Zambia plans to buy used Bell 412 transport helicopters and associated support from the United States with an estimated value of $100 million. Depending on the model year and condition of the Bell 412EP helicopters, ranging from $2.6 million for a 1994 model to $9.6 million for a 2016 model, Zambia could acquire between 10 and 38 units. The Zambia Air Force operates a fleet of utility helicopters, including 12 American Bell 205s, two Bell 206s and two Bell 212s. The helicopters serve various roles, including transport, medical evacuation and support for other government operations. Zambia has ordered two U.S.-made…