Horn of Africa

ADF STAFF Military drones hummed through October’s midday sky over the central Ethiopian town of Mehalganat in the volatile Amhara region before destroying several buildings at a health clinic compound. Residents said the attack by…

ADF STAFF Gun battles in late October shattered the typical tranquility of Debark town, nestled in the foothills of the Semien mountains in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Months of intense fighting in Ethiopia’s second-largest region have…

ADF STAFF Turkey has made significant economic, military and diplomatic investments in Africa as part of its strategy in recent years to deepen ties across the continent. When Ethiopia and Somalia agreed this year to have Turkey play the…

ADF STAFF A new multinational security partnership is threatening to shift the balance of power in the Horn of Africa. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Somali President Hassan Sheikh…

ADF STAFF In a recently released video, a member of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) displays an empty crate that once held 120 mm thermobaric mortar shells. He points out the origin of the munitions, stamped with an address on the top:…

ADF STAFF Neighboring countries Somalia and Ethiopia are trying to put an end to violence that has affected the Horn of Africa for decades. Some experts believe the healing must begin at the community level and spread from person to…

ADF STAFF Tension already was bubbling in the Horn of Africa in late August when two desert-camouflaged Egyptian military cargo planes landed in the Somali capital of Mogadishu with weapons, ammunition and about 300 special forces…

ADF STAFF Details are emerging about the new peacekeeping mission that will succeed the African Union’s current multilateral force in Somalia known as ATMIS when it concludes operations at the end of this year. On August 1, the AU adopted…

ADF STAFF Turkey’s growing presence in Africa is undeniable, and it’s by design. With its eyes on expanding influence, Turkey has significantly increased its engagement on the continent in recent years. Turkish trade is booming, as its…

ADF STAFF Gunfire echoed between sleek glass buildings in Addis Ababa on April 12. The city’s relative peace was shattered by a shootout between security forces and three members of an Amhara militant group. One of Ethiopia’s many ethnic…