ADF

The specters of terrorism, piracy and smuggling loomed as more than 1,000 participants from 20 nations trained to conduct multinational maritime security operations in the Western Indian Ocean during the 15th iteration of Exercise Cutlass Express. The East African exercise, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and facilitated by the U.S. 6th Fleet, was held February 10-21, 2025, in Mauritius, the Seychelles and Tanzania. Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Mhona, chief of Training and Combat Readiness for the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, said the event emphasized the need for regional, continental and international collaboration. “When we talk about terrorism, human trafficking and cybercrime,…

The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in March 2025 launched Operation True Guardian in the nation’s west to “restore public trust, bolster national security, and ensure the safety and stability of Liberia’s borders and coastal areas,” the AFL announced. The operation began with patrols in the Western Region, which includes Grand Cape Mount, Bomi and Gbarpolu counties. Patrols will continue indefinitely and establish forward operating bases in each county. Security forces will focus on hot spots for crime and other security threats. “This operation comes at a crucial time when Liberia is facing complex security threats, particularly in the western…

Nigerian military sources confirmed to Reuters that the Mali-based terrorist organization Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) killed one Nigerian Soldier during an attack in western Kwara State, which borders Benin. The attack was JNIM’s first in Nigeria and the latest example of Sahelian terror groups extending their reach across West Africa. In the Sahel, JNIM competes fiercely with Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) for control of territory across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, with a special focus on the Liptako-Gourma region where the three countries meet. ISSP has grown from about 400 fighters in 2018 to more than 3,000 today.…

A criminal gang kidnapped 16 merchant vessel crew members in the Gulf of Guinea and held them near the beach at Takwa Bay, Nigeria. Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service commandos scoped the kidnappers’ hideout, then entered. Soon, shots rang out. “Drop your weapons!” a Nigerian Sailor shouted three times. “Get down!” In moments, commandos rescued the crew and dismantled the hijackers’ camp. The complex, simulated rescue was part of Crocodile Lift 2025, a joint maritime security exercise held with the French Navy at Naval Base Apapa in Lagos. The four-day anti-piracy exercise ended October 10. France deployed a Mistral-class helicopter…

Burkina Faso’s volunteer militias were created to supplement the government’s fight against the growing terrorist threat. Along the border with Côte d’Ivoire, however, those militia members are threatening the safety of civilians on both sides of the boundary. Nearly 70,000 Burkinabe citizens have fled their communities to shelter in northern Côte d’Ivoire. Many of them are Fulani herders, the ethnic group being targeted by militias known as Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP, using the French acronym) because many terrorists operating in the countryside also are Fulani. There is a direct connection between the ruling junta’s decision to…

Four years after Mali’s ruling junta invited Russian mercenaries into the country to fight terrorists, Mali now faces even more attacks and a fuel blockade while Russian forces scale back their battlefield involvement. Mali’s relationship with Russian forces has changed since the arrival of Africa Corps in June. Many Africa Corps’ fighters came from the former Wagner Group, which arrived in Mali in 2021 under the pretense of training Malian soldiers to fight the terror group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg separatists now operating under the banner of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Although then-Wagner Group fighters helped…

Armies of excavators and dump trucks carving deep, terraced ruts into and around hills, mountainsides and waterways are a common sight in Zimbabwe. For locals, the scars of large, industrial mining operations offer frequent reminders of the environmental toll. Public anger among Zimbabweans has risen steadily in recent years amid accusations of Chinese mining companies committing serious crimes — ranging from murder, rape and forced evictions to pollution and loss of habitats — sometimes with few or no legal consequences. Journalist and human rights advocate Tendai Mbofana recently raised alarm when he shared a video on October 21 of a…

Collective security was the primary focus of the recent Land Forces Commanders Symposium as African military leaders gathered to build and enhance bilateral and regional solutions to a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Commanders from Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda were among military leaders from 28 African countries along with defense experts and stakeholders from around the world who participated in the event at Intare Arena in Kigali on October 21 and 22. Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga, spokesperson for the Rwanda…

When protesters filled the streets of Antananarivo and other cities across Madagascar, John J. Chin was watching closely. He saw the anger over government corruption, daily power outages and chronic water shortages. What began in September as youth-driven rallies escalated into demands for reforms and the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina. Chin has studied and written about coups from 1946 through 2025. The assistant teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon University leads a research team that compiles data on coup types and characteristics. His research shows that coups have declined worldwide. “[However], coup risk remains comparatively high in Africa. Since 2020,…

Algeria and Spain announced a renewed commitment to combat shared threats. The collaboration between the two countries separated by the Mediterranean Sea will focus on  battling terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling while enhancing cybersecurity, civil protection, road safety and disaster management. This was announced after an October 20 meeting between Algerian Minister of Interior Said Sayoud and Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska in Algiers. Sayoud said the “fruitful” cooperation between the two countries had reached “a high level in many areas.” “Today’s meeting is a renewed opportunity to exchange opinions and viewpoints on these serious threats, which require us…