ADF

ADF STAFF Located in an upscale neighborhood of Lusaka, Zambia, Golden Top Support Services presented itself as a normal call center. In fact, it was a Chinese-owned cybercrime operation using WhatsApp, Telegram and other communication platforms to scam people out of their money. Zambian authorities arrested more than 90 people in the scam — 77 when they raided the Golden Top’s offices early in April and another 17 on April 23. Among those arrested in the two incidents were 35 Chinese nationals along with 70 Zambian employees in their early 20s. Some of the Zambians were later released on bond.…

ADF STAFF The director-general of Nigeria’s National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has called for amendments to legislation to increase women’s participation in defense and security. The director-general, Abubakar Sulaiman, said at a news conference in early April that the abilities of women were going untapped in the fight against problems such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and civil disturbances, Nigeria’s Premium Times reported. He said his institute is working with the United Nations to persuade the National Assembly and relevant security agencies about the need to get women more involved. “While these security sector institutions strive to achieve their…

ADF STAFF Soldiers killed an Allied Democratic Forces commander known as “Dr. Musa” April 8 during a joint operation by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). Maj. Bilal Katamba, the UPDF’s mountain division public information officer, said Musa managed all of the rebel group’s medical logistics and worked closely with top Allied Democratic Forces commander Muhammad Luminsa. A Rwanda native, Musa was killed in the DRC’s northern North Kivu province near the Ituri province border. The joint forces also confiscated a submachine gun and military radio. “His death…

ADF STAFF Purple-hued sunsets and the mists of the mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya greeted commanders from across the continent as they gathered in Livingstone, Zambia, for the 12th African Land Forces Summit from April 22-26. The theme, “Regional Solutions to Transnational Problems,” belied the serene setting of the Zambezi River as it crawled toward its destiny at Mosi-oa-Tunya, known to many as Victoria Falls, one of Earth’s seven natural wonders. In addition to the natural backdrop, the summit also commenced against the backdrop of regional challenges such as continuing violent extremism in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, chaos in the Sahel, and armed…

ADF STAFF Sweat beaded on George Kowukumeh’s forehead as he strained to pull a fishing net ashore in Accra, Ghana. A longtime fisherman, Kowukumeh was dismayed with his haul. He has felt the emotion often in recent years, as total landings of small pelagic fish, a staple of the national diet, fell by 59% between 1993 and 2019. The trend continues due to the continuous influx of large foreign industrial trawlers — mostly Chinese — that indiscriminately catch all manner of marine life, as well as changes in the ocean’s temperature. “The catch today is disappointing and full of garbage,” Kowukumeh…

ADF STAFF Rwanda has pledged to send more troops to Mozambique’s embattled Cabo Delgado province where terrorists have unleashed a fresh wave of attacks in recent months after suffering military losses to international forces. The Rwandan troops will arrive to help avoid a security gap as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) leaves the province. In March, 300 rebel fighters reportedly seized and occupied the coastal town of Quissanga, a district capital. Insurgents beheaded three members of the security forces on nearby Quirimba Island the following day. The new attacks have hit areas that were relatively…

ADF STAFF Drones have been a consistent part of the year-long conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and fighters with the paramilitary Rapid Support Force. In recent months, however, the SAF’s drone attacks have become more precise and deadlier, experts say, thanks to the addition of Iranian technology. In response, the RSF has increased its own use of drones against military and civilian targets associated with the SAF. As they have been since the beginning of the conflict on April 15, 2023, Sudan’s civilians are frequently caught in the middle. “In recent weeks, the Army has begun to use…

ADF STAFF Landlocked countries in Africa pay higher prices for goods and often struggle to meet the needs of citizens. This situation fuels resentment and can lead to cross-border conflict. Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi believes something must be done to address the concerns of the 378 million people living in 16 landlocked countries in Africa. In a recent speech at the United States International University, Nairobi, Mudavadi called for the creation of a working group to address the unique challenges faced by these nations. “The geo-strategic constraints that landlocked countries…

ADF STAFF Just a few kilometers from one of the world’s most deadly hotspots for militant violence — the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) — the people of Burundi are struggling with an insurgency of their own. Increasing attacks by the RED-Tabara rebel group have revealed a pattern of killing civilians and claiming credit for the attacks on social media but denying civilians were involved. The offensive has elicited outrage from a broad spectrum of Burundians. “The government of Burundi once again deplores the behavior of Rwanda which maintains, trains and arms the terrorist group RED-Tabara,” government spokesman…

ADF STAFF The African Union named Senegalese human rights expert Adama Dieng to a newly created post: special envoy for Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. It’s an intimidating job considering the violent conflicts raging across the continent. The announcement was made on April 7, a day on which leaders across the continent and the world gather in somber reflection to observe the anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Normally, African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat marks the event at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This year, however, he attended the 30th anniversary ceremony in Kigali, the Rwandan…