Northwestern Reportedly Set to Close Program of African Studies, Ending an Near Eight-decade Chapter in Higher Education

Brandon Caldwell

Sat, August 15, 2026 at 5:24 PM EDT

Established in 1948, the Program of African Studies at Northwestern is the first academic program formally focused on Africa.

Northwestern is preparing to cut ties with its Program of African Studies, according to The Purple Wire.

The program, founded in 1948 by American anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits, is the first formal academic program focused on Africa and its study in the United States. Over time, it has garnered widespread acclaim, and its status as a campus-wide research institute and center has given it the distinction of being a program completely separate from Northwestern's schools.

"They told us that the center is closing, so all staff are being laid off because there will be no center to employ you," a staff member told The Purple Wire under condition of anonymity for fear of potential retribution.

Another staffer added, "They didn't give us a reason for the closing. They haven't actually told staff anything about their plans."

Per the report, students in the program, as well as faculty, were left in the dark about the announcement and how the school will utilize African studies in the future. Subsequently, staff members in the program would be laid off. At present, the only staff member explicitly tied to the program is director Chris Abani, with two other staff members listed under the Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa.

In a statement, Northwestern spokesperson Amy E. Lee countered that the program had "not closed but is in a period of transition away from status as an Office for Research university-wide research institute and center."

She added that the university remains "committed to continued support for all facets of African Studies, including undergraduate and graduate education as well as research."

Northwestern's decision echoes similar pausing or outright closures of similar programs across the country. In Florida, a Senate bill stripped Black-studies courses of general-education status and cut research funding. The University of Louisville in Kentucky saw its Pan-African Studies doctoral program suspended and graduate assistantships eliminated after a bill was originally vetoed by Governor Andy Beshear but later overridden by state lawmakers.

It remains unclear what will happen to the teaching of African Studies as a whole at Northwestern, and whether staff in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences will continue those studies.

UK PM Burnham Reacts to Death of Former Cambridge Professor

Arday was found dead at an address in south London on Friday following intense scrutiny of his academic credentials.

Jason Arday was found dead at an address in south London

Jason Arday was Cambridge University's youngest-ever Black professor [Royal Borough of Greenwich/Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated Press

15 Aug 2026

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the death of a high-profile Black academic accused of plagiarism and falsifying his achievements should serve as a “moment of reflection”.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Burnham said Jason Arday’s death was “a tragedy on so many levels”.

Arday, 41, was found dead at an address in south London on Friday following intense public and media scrutiny of his academic achievements, including his status as Cambridge University’s youngest-ever Black professor.

Police described his death as “unexpected” but not suspicious.

“It’s not a moment for any rushing to judgment. It’s a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this,” Burnham said.

Arday’s death has sparked outrage among certain sections of British society, who argue that his treatment by the media was fueled by racism.

Several activists, journalists and academics have accused Cambridge University of failing in its duty of care to Arday, who resigned from his prestigious post on August 5.

Media outlets, particularly newspapers, have also come under intense scrutiny, with public figures accusing the press of dedicating a disproportionate amount of coverage to the scandal, while far-right figures have been accused of weaponising the affair.

The vice-chancellor of world-leading Cambridge University said in a statement on Saturday that Arday’s death was “tragic”.

“My thoughts and deepest condolences are with Jason’s family and loved ones who, as they said last night, have lost a father, partner, brother, uncle and son,” Vice-Chancellor and professor Deborah Prentice said.

“My immediate thoughts are also with colleagues and students who worked with Jason in the Faculty of Education, and at Jesus College where he was a Fellow.”

Analysis by media watchdog NewsCord found that at least 188 articles about Arday had been published over nine days. The organisation said tens of thousands of complaints about his treatment by the press had been filed with the regulatory body IPSO.

“Jason Arday was clearly suffering from mental illness; the appropriate response was compassion. Instead, he was hounded to his grave – it would hardly be hyperbole to describe it as a lynching,” Gareth Dale from Brunel University in west London told Al Jazeera,

“The perpetrators were far-right activists and racist media organisations. They were seeking to push back against social gains made by anti-racists. Arday may have plagiarised, but no more than many a white professor; the spotlight should be laser-focused on why the discrepancy between his case and theirs, and on why the media engaged in a pile-on, instead of investigating the far-right activists who were creating a lynch-mob atmosphere.”

Arday’s academic record and achievements first came under scrutiny last month, with news outlets accusing him of plagiarising his doctoral thesis and falsifying several achievements. Arday was also accused of lying about his childhood struggles.

More Than 20 Killed in Clashes in Western Nigeria

By Al Mayadeen English

15 Aug 2026 14:48

Over 300 families were displaced following renewed clashes between rival local groups in western Nigeria’s Niger State.

Nigerian outlet Vanguard reported that more than 20 people have been killed in renewed armed clashes between rival local groups in Niger State in western Nigeria, according to local media.

The violence took place in Kukuli village in the Borgu area of Niger State, where a new wave of clashes has reportedly forced more than 300 families to flee their homes and seek safety in surrounding bush areas.

The latest violence has deepened concerns among communities in Borgu and Agwara, where residents have faced repeated attacks by armed groups. According to local reports, some residents have resorted to sleeping in the bush at night to avoid attacks on their villages.

The clashes have also triggered significant displacement, with more than 300 families reportedly abandoning their homes and seeking refuge in nearby wooded areas.

The repeated violence has further disrupted civilian life in communities already facing insecurity and limited protection.

Hundreds of families flee renewed violence

Residents have reportedly been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in surrounding bush areas, while fears of further attacks continue to shape daily life.

The latest clashes add to a broader pattern of armed violence across northwestern Nigeria, where rural communities have repeatedly come under attack.

In May, at least 30 people were reportedly killed in an attack by an armed group along the Magami-Dansadu highway in Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria.

Nigeria has also faced repeated attacks by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS in the west, according to the supplied report, alongside attacks attributed to Boko Haram and ISIS in the southeast.

The continuing violence has compounded Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in rural areas where communities remain vulnerable to armed attacks and displacement.

From Research to the Field: Transforming Africa’s Seed Systems

Africa News

Twenty years ago, in many African countries, an improved variety could exist without ever reaching the farmer.

An innovation could be developed by a researcher, but remain confined to research stations. A seed company could have the potential to produce, without having access to the necessary starting seeds. And a farmer could know that a new variety existed without being able to buy it.

It is precisely this gap between innovation and its implementation that AGRA has set out to reduce over the past two decades.

In 2026, as AGRA celebrates its 20th anniversary, three success stories, from Mali to Nigeria, illustrate this evolution. Three different contexts, three individual trajectories, one and the same lesson: transforming agriculture is not only about creating better seeds. It is about building the entire system that enables these seeds to move from the laboratory to the field, and then from the field to the market.

In Mali, it all starts with a scientist

Twenty years ago, Mali was entirely dependent on imported hybrid maize seeds. The country had virtually no national maize breeding capacity. It was in this context that Dr. Mamadou Mory Coulibaly’s vocation was born.

When he received an AGRA-supported scholarship at the time to pursue a PhD at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), he was working on sorghum and naturally considered continuing in this field. Upon arriving in Ghana, one decision changed the course of his career: he decided to train in maize breeding.

The reason was simple: at the time, Mali had no maize breeder.

A decision that produced effects far beyond the career of a scientist: from that point on, national expertise in maize breeding was created which, progressively, would contribute to transforming Mali’s seed system.

With the support of AGRA and scientific partners, the first hybrid maize development programmes were established. The country gradually moved from dependence on imported seeds to producing its own hybrids, with varieties adapted to its climatic conditions. Some are even now exported to neighbouring countries such as Senegal and Guinea.

But one of the most important lessons from this story is not the creation of a new variety. It is the creation of a genuine ecosystem.

Research institutes, seed companies, cooperatives and farmers began to combine their knowledge and work together. Researchers provide genetic material and early-generation seeds; companies multiply them; farmers test and adopt them.

As Dr. Coulibaly points out, a farmer does not change varieties simply because they are told that one is better. They compare it. They observe its yield. They assess its performance. Then they decide.

This is where research leads to impact.

In Nigeria, the same principle is changing the lives of thousands of women

Several thousand kilometres from Mali, a different transformation is underway.

In Kaduna and Niger States, women farmers have long faced challenges that went far beyond the issue of seed: limited access to land, finance and inputs, weak distribution networks and inadequate extension services.

In this context, AGRA partnered with Value Seeds Limited to strengthen the availability of improved seeds and access to them for smallholder farmers, with a particular focus on women.

The approach relied on early-generation seeds made available to seed companies to enable their multiplication and large-scale distribution. Improved maize, rice and soybean varieties were thus developed, multiplied and made available to farmers, with a target of 70,000 women smallholder farmers.

Once again, the seed is only one link in the chain.

The transformation relies on the capacity of a private-sector actor to multiply and distribute, on networks of agro-dealers and community-based advisors, on farmers’ skills, and on an institutional environment that enables the market to function.

Results can now be measured in the fields. Reported yields have increased from 2.5 to 5.6 tonnes per hectare for maize, from 4 to 6.8 tonnes for rice, and from 1 to 1.8 tonnes for soybeans.

Behind these figures are women for whom a better harvest means more than a statistic: more food for their families, more income and more opportunities to invest in the future. When a seed improves a woman farmer’s yield, it can also change the trajectory of an entire family, and therefore, of society.

From yield to nutrition: the next chapter

The case of zinc-enriched rice in Nigeria shows how this same architecture can address the challenge of nutrition.

Zinc-enriched rice varieties have been developed and made available, but their existence on paper was not enough to create a market. CESSA helped bridge this adoption gap by bringing stakeholders together around demonstration plots, field days and demand-creation activities.

The process brings together research, seed companies, government authorities, extension services and farmers. Today, 17 seed companies and more than 10 independent outgrowers are engaged in the zinc-enriched rice commercialization chain, while farmers can discover the varieties under real conditions before deciding to adopt them.

This success story demonstrates a new dimension of work on seeds: an improved variety can contribute not only to producing more, but also to producing better in nutritional terms.

In Mali, a young researcher becomes a maize breeder and helps create national capacity that did not previously exist.

In Nigeria, seed companies transform early-generation seeds into commercial products accessible to tens of thousands of women farmers.

And today, again in Nigeria, CESSA is working to move zinc-enriched rice varieties from the status of released varieties to that of varieties genuinely adopted by farmers.

In Mali as in Nigeria, the lesson is clear: the seed is the starting point. True impact emerges when an entire system is set in motion around it.

Cameroon Defeat Morocco 3-1 to Reach Women’s AFCON Final

Morocco

Cameroon are through to the Women’s AFCON final after a dramatic penalty shootout against hosts Morocco. The two sides couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes, with Morocco missing a huge chance to seal the win when Fatima Tagnaout saw her penalty saved in the 118th minute.

Then came the shootout. Morocco had won their previous two AFCON semi-finals on penalties. Cameroon, meanwhile, had lost all three of their previous shootouts.

But this time, history changed. Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina was the hero. After denying Tagnaout in extra time, she saved three penalties in the shootout.

Cameroon won 3–1, with Maéva Nyadjou converting the decisive kick. The Indomitable Lionesses are heading to their fourth Women’s AFCON final, after previous appearances in 2004, 2014 and 2016.

They’ll face Malawi, who have reached the final for the first time. For Morocco, another continental final on home soil has slipped away.

Mali, Nigeria to Carry African Flag at the 2027 U19 Women's Basketball World Cup

The biennial U19 Women's Basketball World Cup has become a familiar stage for Mali and Nigeria.

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - By reaching the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket, both Mali and Nigeria secured the two places available to African teams at the 2027 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in China.

While Mali reached the Championship Game undefeated after five games, Nigeria did so with a record of four wins and one loss.

The final is scheduled for Sunday 16 August at the Palais des Sports Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Neither Mali nor Nigeria are new to the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup, which has been staged across different countries, including an African one, over the previous eleven editions.

Tunisia was the first and only African country to host the biennial tournament.

In recent years, there has been a staggering improvement in the results of African teams in the U19 Women's World Cup, with Mali leading the way.

UN Says $50 Million Ransom Fueled Al-Qaeda Offensive in Mali

Mali

The United Nations said a ransom of about 50 million dollars, paid in late 2025 for the release of a hostage in Mali, helped finance Al-Qaeda-linked militants and their offensive across West Africa.

According to a new UN report, most of the money was redistributed to fighters in the Sahel, while some was passed on to Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula and to the group’s central command.

The report does not name the hostage or confirm who made the payment, though regional sources say the United Arab Emirates paid the ransom.

Those same sources say an Emirati citizen, along with two other foreign hostages, were released after the deal. The UAE did not comment on the specific case, but said it remains committed to fighting extremism and terrorism.

The UN says kidnappings are both a funding source and a way for militants to weaken trust in the state. It adds that the Mali-based JNIM coalition now has between 7,000 and 8,000 fighters across the Sahel, half of them in Mali.

The report warns that ransom money is helping militants buy weapons, support logistics, and expand their insurgency across the region.

Mali has been gripped by a security crisis since 2012, fueled notably by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadist group, as well as local criminal gangs and separatists.

Since two successive coups in 2020 and 2021, the country has been ruled by the military, which came to power on the promise of restoring security, so far without success.

Burkina Faso Enacts Military Training on Journalists

Burkina Faso

More than 40 journalists in Burkina Faso have taken part in a military-style "patriotism" training course imposed by the ruling revolutionary government.

Burkina Faso, like several of its neighbours, has for more than a decade been hit by deadly violence by jihadists affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Under captain Ibrahim Traore who seized power in a 2022 coup, the military-led authorities now require public and private media outlets to participate in the annual "patriotic immersion".

"This initiative is a new, very worrying signal for press freedom," Sadibou Marong, sub-Saharan Africa bureau director at media watchdog Reporters Without Borders told AFP on Friday.

"Journalists are not soldiers and must not be turned into mouthpieces for the war effort, dressed in military uniforms and with weapons in their hands," he added.

High-school students sitting their end-of-school leaving exams have been required to do a similar type of training in Burkina Faso since last year.

Traore has pushed an agenda of domestically driven and anti-Western policies with the proclaimed aim of reclaiming national sovereignty.

Numerous media outlets have been suspended. According to western groups, dozens of journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly conscripted and sent to the frontline.

Organised by the security ministry, the journalists' training was held at a police academy near the capital, Ouagadougou, the government said.

Men and women were among the 44 journalists and the course lasted six days.

In a video shared on social media by RTB public television, Communication Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo addressed dozens of journalists dressed in military fatigues and holding rifles.

"Are you going to be patriotic and professional journalists?" Ouedraogo asked them.

"Affirmative," they replied in unison, standing together at attention.

"A professional journalist who is not a patriot is a threat to their country," added Ouedraogo, who as well as serving as a minister is also the government's spokesman.

Senegal Hikes Fuel Prices Amid Surge in Global Oil Markets

World News

Senegal has raised fuel prices in a move the government says is necessary because of the sharp rise in global oil costs.

As of Saturday, August 15, super petrol now costs 990 CFA francs a litre, up by 70 francs, while diesel has risen to 755 CFA francs, an increase of 75 francs.

Officials say prices for other petroleum products remain unchanged, including gas and fuel used for pirogues.

The government said the increase simply returns fuel prices to their level before a cut introduced on December 6 last year.

It blames the adjustment on the conflict in the Middle East, which began on February 28 and has driven up international oil prices. Since then, diesel prices have jumped by 69 percent and super petrol by 61 percent.

Senegal said it delayed the increase for as long as possible, but claims it has already absorbed more than 245 billion CFA francs in fuel subsidies since the start of the year.

Authorities say keeping prices unchanged would have added another 47 billion CFA francs in just one month.

The government said the move is partial and measured, and that prices at the pump are still below import costs. It also says social protection measures will continue to shield vulnerable households.

Exhausted Health Workers in DR Congo Struggle to Keep Up as Ebola Outpaces Contact Tracing

By CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA and MARK BANCHEREAU

1:31 AM EDT, August 15, 2026

NIZI, Congo (AP) — Every day, community health worker Gédéon Banga Ngbape and his team fan out across communities in eastern Congo looking for people who may have crossed paths with the country’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

The workers investigate dozens of alerts, search for those exposed to suspected or confirmed cases and try to get anyone showing symptoms into care before the virus spreads further.

But the surveillance system is increasingly failing to keep pace with the virus. Between 60% and 70% of new Ebola cases are being detected among people who were not already being monitored as contacts, meaning health workers may only discover infections after patients become sick and have had opportunities to expose others.

“If surveillance does not work well, the entire response suffers,” Ngbape said. “Surveillance is the engine of a response.”

The outbreak has killed over 2,200 people out of more than 4,700 cases, according to the latest government figures. This death toll has been reached almost three times faster than in the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa — the worst in history. That outbreak claimed over 11,000 lives.

“We are chasing the virus; the virus is ahead of us,” said WHO regional director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, this week.

U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher on Friday announced an additional $30.5 million in emergency funding to help tackle the Ebola outbreak.

In Nizi, Ngbape’s surveillance teams say they receive an average of 60 to 70 alerts a day. They move through communities to investigate suspected infections, follow people who have been in contact with suspected or confirmed cases and direct those showing possible symptoms to health facilities.

The work can stretch deep into the night.

“I leave in the morning at 8 and return around 11 p.m., sometimes midnight,” Ngbape said. “I still have to follow up and plan the next activities. I feel really tired, but what matters to me is always being of service to the community.”

He did not say how many days a week he works or how often he is able to take time off.

Community health workers who go door to door face risks of their own. Ana Ndroy Kasime, a community health worker in Nizi, said she visits homes to educate residents about Ebola and reports suspected cases to health officials. But she said workers like her lack basic protective supplies.

Ana Ndroy Kasime, a community health worker in Nizi, speaks during an interview as she visits homes to educate residents about Ebola and reports suspected cases to health officials in Nizi, Ituri province, eastern Congo, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Phot

“When we go door to door, we don’t have protective equipment, like boots, disinfectant and other supplies, even though we are at risk,” Kasime said. “We buy disinfectant with our own money.”

The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus, is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, though trials are underway. Strikes by some unpaid health workers, threats by rebel groups, anger from long-traumatized communities and misinformation asserting that Ebola isn’t real have significantly hindered the response.

The gaps are especially consequential in Nizi, one of the most affected health zones in Ituri province, which accounts for about 90% of Congo’s Ebola cases and 80% of its deaths.

“We started surveillance with fewer workers,” Ngbape said. “The challenges are enormous,” he added.

On Thursday, health workers at the Nizi Treatment Center went on strike and the facility temporarily closed. Ngbape said the health workers have not been paid in over three months. 

The head of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, on Thursday called on Congo’s government to pay the outstanding salaries, saying money was available and that paying workers was the government’s responsibility.

The government says payments are delayed because it’s verifying worker payroll lists after finding unrelated names had been added and while it shifts payments from cash to mobile money.

Kasime said community health workers like her have received their payments, but at about $50 a month, she considers the amount inadequate for the work and risks involved. She said other Ebola response workers should be paid quickly.

“They are making sacrifices and taking risks,” Kasime said. “If these workers decide to stop working, the epidemic will spread further into the population.”

Insecurity and displacement put contacts out of reach

Surveillance workers in Nizi often struggle to get around, making it harder to investigate alerts and follow contacts across the health zone, Ngbape said. Frequent population movements linked to mining and people fleeing armed conflict add another complication, as people can move before surveillance teams are able to follow up with them.

Poor and sometimes impassable roads can also make remote areas difficult to reach, while insecurity restricts where health workers can safely operate. It remains unclear how many communities in the province are currently inaccessible to surveillance teams.

Dozens of rebel and militia groups operate across eastern Congo. The Allied Democratic Forces, which is tied to the Islamic State group, is among those active in Ituri. The insecurity has forced some health and aid workers to leave remote Ebola hot spots for the relative safety of the provincial capital, Bunia.

Violence affecting the Ebola response has also come from residents. At least a dozen attacks on health facilities and workers were recorded as of mid-July, according to local health authorities. In one incident, residents attacked a hospital in Nyakunde and entered a nearby Ebola treatment center, forcing patients and staff to flee before operations resumed the following day.

Many residents’ anger is caused by misinformation about the virus and bans on traditional burials — when families prepare the bodies and people gather for a funeral, which can lead to further infections.

Ngbape, however, said his surveillance teams in Nizi have not been attacked.

He said cooperation has improved as residents have become more familiar with the surveillance teams and their work. Ngbape also said he does not believe people in Nizi are widely concealing suspected infections, though population movements and limited transportation can still make contacts difficult to follow.

Gédéon Banga Ngbape, left, an Ebola surveillance officer, does contact tracing in Nizi, Ituri province, eastern Congo, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dieudonne Dirole)

Gédéon Banga Ngbape, left, an Ebola surveillance officer, does contact tracing in Nizi, Ituri province, eastern Congo, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dieudonne Dirole)

For Ngbape, maintaining that surveillance is critical to preventing individual infections from developing into wider chains of transmission. The long hours and limited resources have left him exhausted, he said, but not ready to stop.

“I am here to save the lives of the population,” he said.

————-

Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on 1+1 with Youri Smouter, Discussing the History and Contemporary Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar

Watch this new episode of 1+1! 

In our final episode of our Africa series, our journey across the African continent, looking at the history and current affairs of each African country, and its region we look at our final African country, the last of the six island nations and that is Madagascar. 

To watch this program in its entirety just click on the following link: 1+1 E405 Youri speaks to Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African Newswire & Black Agenda Report on Madagascar - YouTube

As always, our tour guide and historical guide, is Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African News Wire and Black Agenda Report. Do enjoy this final episode of this epic Africa series with Abayomi.

Please share widely as facebook blocks me from sharing or shadow bans me sometimes. 

Donate if you can to 1+1 and our friends respectively. And join us next week and week after as we will explore with Abayomi what Africa must do to overcome its plight and celebrate Abayomi’s remarkable journalism and history work. All my best till then! Have a great weekend and good night and good luck! 

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on Latino Media Collective at WPFW in Washington, D.C.: Interview on the Detroit People's Tribunal and the History of Resistance 

Listen to this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, on the Latino Media Collective discussing the political situation in Detroit involving civil rights and immigrant struggles. 

To listen to this program just click on the following URL: August 14th, 2026: Detroit vs ICE | Latino Media Collective 

The program aired on Fri. Aug. 14, 2026 over WPFW Radio in Washington, DC and is hosted by Oscar Hernandez.

Mali Separatists Release 82 Soldiers, Including Some Held Since a Major Attack in April

12:16 PM EDT, August 13, 2026

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Separatists in northern Mali have released 82 soldiers, including some taken captive during a nationwide attack on government forces in April, the Malian military and a rebel spokesperson said Thursday.

A statement from the Malian Armed Forces said that the “freed soldiers are now safe and being cared for by the relevant authorities.” Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the separatist Azawad Liberation Front, confirmed the release.

Mali has been plagued for over a decade by insurgencies by militants affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, including JNIM, as well as a Tuareg-led separatist rebellion in the north.

Violence escalated in recent months after an alliance of JNIM and Tuareg separatists carried out coordinated attacks on April 25, targeting the airport of the country’s capital, Bamako, the nearby garrison town of Kati, and several northern and central cities.

Ramadane said that the soldiers were released on humanitarian grounds, and that some of them had been held captive since as long ago as 2023. He said around 118 Malian soldiers are still captive.

April’s attacks exposed weaknesses of Mali’s strategy to combat the rebellion, including relying on Russia, which has partnered with the military-led government after it distanced itself from former allies such as France.

The soldiers’ release was announced the same day Mali’s president pardoned Yann Vézilier, a French national sentenced to 20 years in prison. Vézilier, who worked for the French Embassy in Mali, was arrested in August 2025 and accused of being an intelligence agent involved in a plot to destabilize the country.

The Malian government said in a statement the clemency did not overturn the court’s findings and required the individual’s immediate removal from the country.

The French foreign ministry didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

US Missionary Kidnapped in Niger is Released After 9 Months in Captivity, His Organization Says

Motorcyclist ride along a street in Niamey, Niger, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo, file)

12:36 PM EDT, August 14, 2026

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — An American missionary who was kidnapped in Niger in October has been released, his organization said Friday.

Kevin Rideout “is in good health in the care of U.S. officials,” SIM International, an Evangelical mission organization, said in a statement.

He will soon be reunited with his extended family, the statement added.

Rideout was back in U.S. custody on Friday, the country’s President Donald Trump said in a post on social media.

“Kevin, the United States of America looks forward to welcoming you HOME. Glad to have helped!” Trump wrote.

Rideout was kidnapped in the West African country’s capital, Niamey, on Oct. 21 by three armed individuals and was probably driven out of town, according to information provided by a security official at the time.

No armed group claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Niger has long faced attacks from armed groups including jihadis linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State organization.

The U.S. Embassy in Niamey issued a security alert a day after Rideout’s kidnapping, warning that U.S. citizens “remain at a heightened risk of kidnapping throughout Niger, including in the capital city.”

Niger is ruled by a military junta that took power in 2023 after deposing the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. The new authorities ousted Western partners including the United States, which had soldiers in Niger, and forged a new security and diplomatic alliance with Russia.

In June, more than 30 people were killed when gunmen attacked the main airport in Niamey. It was the second attack this year at the airport, a strategic hub that serves as the ruling military’s command, hosting its air force base and most of its drones and aircraft. It’s also the headquarters of the regional alliance that brings together troops from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The violence is the latest sign of armed groups increasingly targeting cities and urban centers in Africa’s Sahel region.

China and Egypt Launch Second Joint Air Force Exercise

Africa News

By Agencies

Military

China and Egypt are set to strengthen military cooperation with a new round of joint air force exercises scheduled to take place in Egypt from mid-August through early September.

The exercise, known as "Eagles of Civilization 2026," marks the second edition of the bilateral training program following the inaugural drills held last year.

According to China's Ministry of National Defense, the exercise will include air combat tactics, air superiority operations, combat search and rescue, and joint force deployment drills designed to improve operational coordination between the two militaries.

Chen Xi, Spokesperson, China's Ministry of National Defense: "From mid-August to early September, the Chinese and Egyptian air forces will hold Eagles of Civilization 2026 joint training in Egypt. The training will focus on such subjects as air combat tactics, air superiority operations, and combat search and rescue, and will include force employment drills. As the second iteration of its kind, the joint training will further enhance mutual trust and traditional friendship, deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries, and contribute to regional peace and stability."

The exercises reflect growing defense ties between Beijing and Cairo as both countries expand military cooperation through joint training and strategic exchanges.

Central African Republic: Muslims Return as Sibut Rebuilds

FILE - An arial view of Bangui, Central African Republic, is seen on March. 8, 2024.

By Dominic Wabwireh with AFP

Central African Republic

Years after civil war drove many Muslims from Sibut, the call to prayer is echoing again from the town’s rebuilt central mosque. Returning residents and Christian neighbours are seeking to restore trust and revive a community once known for peaceful coexistence.

The Islamic call to prayer has returned to the rooftops of Sibut, a town about three hours north of Bangui that was once home to a thriving Muslim and Christian community.

Many Muslim residents fled after the Central African Republic descended into sectarian violence following the Seleka rebellion in 2013 and the rise of anti-Balaka militias.

Among those returning is Muslim trader Idriss Elder, who spent years in exile in neighbouring Chad. He now runs a small food shop in Sibut, hoping to rebuild the life he left behind.

A mosque becomes a symbol of reconciliation

The central mosque, once looted and destroyed during the conflict, has been rebuilt. Its imam, Said Goni, says the message from the pulpit is now one of peace and social cohesion.

“We are in a time of peace and living together,” Goni said. “All of us who have returned need peace.”

Security has improved in Sibut as Central African forces have regained control, supported by Russian fighters and the continued presence of UN peacekeepers.

For returning residents, the improved security has made it possible to rebuild businesses, homes and community ties.

Christian neighbours welcome returnees

In the Adramane district, where many Muslim homes and businesses were destroyed or abandoned, Christian residents say they want their former neighbours back.

“We are pleased to see the Muslims returning,” said resident Avenir Bissafi. “We have forgiven everything. We are asking our Muslim brothers to come back.”

But the neighbourhood remains a shadow of its former self, with damaged homes and a subdued market where Muslim traders once played a central role in the local economy.

Destroyed homes delay return

For many displaced Muslims, however, security is not the only obstacle to coming home.

Ousmane Chaibou, president of Sibut's Islamic Council, says many former residents remain in Chad or elsewhere in the Central African Republic because their houses were destroyed.

“The real problem is that their homes have been destroyed,” he said. “To this day, they have no houses to live in. That affects their plans to return.”

Authorities say they want to help displaced residents come back, but the wider country remains politically fragile and armed groups continue to operate in several areas.

For Sibut, the gradual return of its Muslim community offers a fragile symbol of reconciliation after years of violence.

Zambia's Opposition Leader Expresses 'Grave Concern' as Vote Count Suspended

Election workers count ballots at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026.

 Africa News

Zambia

Zambia’s opposition presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has raised “grave concern” after the country’s electoral commission suspended vote counting nationwide amid reports of violence.

Mundubile said his party’s Parallel Voter Tabulation, based on results collected from polling stations and tallying centres across the country, indicated that he had won the presidential election and secured a majority of seats in parliament.

He called for the immediate publication and verification of the official results, warning that delays could create opportunities for interference or manipulation.

“The will of the Zambian people” must be independently verified, Mundubile said, calling for all stakeholders to have access to relevant electoral records.

Zambians went to the polls on Thursday in an election dominated by concerns over economic hardship. President Hakainde Hichilema, who has been in power since 2021, faced Mundubile, a former minister in the previous Patriotic Front government.

Around 8.7 million people were registered to vote. Voters were also choosing members of parliament, with the legislature expanded from 156 to 226 seats.

Official presidential results were expected on Monday.

The election comes as Zambia, a major copper producer in southern Africa, continues to grapple with economic challenges, making the outcome closely watched both at home and abroad.

Zambia Resumes Counting After Violence Disrupts Election Process

A Zambia's army vehicle is seen parked at the entrance of the Election results centre, in Lusaka, Zambia, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.

By Dominic Wabwireh with AFP

Zambia

Zambia has resumed vote counting after a nationwide suspension over election-related violence, with the Electoral Commission saying security threats have been contained. The first presidential results are expected at 10:00 p.m. local time, or 2000 GMT.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia lifted the suspension after consultations with law enforcement agencies and a review of the security situation.

Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said the threat to the electoral process had been contained and measures were in place for counting to continue.

The commission had suspended counting on Friday after reports of violence targeting election staff and the theft of marked ballot papers from ballot boxes.

Rival camps await official results

President Hakainde Hichilema, seeking a second five-year term, said his campaign was receiving “encouraging results” and urged supporters to remain peaceful and patient.

His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, meanwhile claimed victory in the presidential race and said his alliance had also won a majority of parliamentary seats.

Official results will determine whether Hichilema can secure another term or whether the opposition can force a change of power in the copper-rich country.

Election follows tense campaign

About 8.7 million voters were registered for Thursday’s election, which also included parliamentary and local contests. Counting for parliamentary seats was suspended alongside the presidential tally.

The vote was held against a backdrop of concerns over political freedoms, arrests and tensions between the government and opposition.

Authorities also arrested several people accused of attempting to disrupt the electoral system, including former senior government officials.

Economic record at stake

The election has also put Hichilema’s economic record under scrutiny. His government has secured a major debt restructuring agreement, restored an IMF programme and returned the economy to growth after Zambia defaulted on its sovereign debt under the previous administration.

But poverty, unemployment and rising food prices remain major concerns for many voters, with more than 70 percent of the population living on less than $3 a day, according to the World Bank.

Zambia has traditionally enjoyed peaceful transfers of power since the return to multiparty democracy in 1991, making the handling of the vote and the final result closely watched.

Mali Junta Pardons French Agent Jailed for 'Undermining State Security'

Présidence de la République du Mali/Page Facebook

Mali's junta leader Assimi Goïta

14 August 2026

Radio France Internationale

By RFI

Mali's junta leader General Assimi Goïta has pardoned a French intelligence agent serving a 20-year prison sentence, a rare conciliatory move after years of strained relations between the west African nation and its former colonial ruler.

The move comes as Mali's military authorities struggle to contain a renewed offensive by jihadist and separatist groups.

The French agent, identified as Yann Vézilier, was arrested in August last year alongside several Malian officers who were allegedly planning a coup.

Accused by Mali of espionage and undermining state security, Vézilier spent nearly 10 months in detention in Bamako before standing trial. France has repeatedly rejected the allegations as "baseless".

Diplomatic fallout

France's foreign ministry said the agent was "carrying out a security cooperation mission, and at no point did France participate, directly or indirectly, in the destabilisation of Mali".

Following the arrest, France suspended counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali and expelled two Malian diplomats.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, Mali said the pardon "does not call into question the facts established by an adversarial judgment rendered during trial".

The statement added that there would be "immediate removal of the individual from national territory".

The sentencing of the French agent in June further damaged relations between France and Mali, where the military has been in power since coups in 2020 and 2021.

Goïta's decision to release the agent demonstrated his "commitment to peace and dialogue, as well as to the ancestral values of forgiveness, hospitality and magnanimity that characterise our culture", the statement said.

Unresolved case

The Malian officers arrested alongside Vézilier have not yet gone on trial. They are accused of creating an espionage and conspiracy network aimed at destabilising the government and carrying out a coup.

The government also referred to a "brotherly country" whose "good offices, exercised discreetly and with scrupulous respect for Mali's sovereignty, contributed to securing this pardon".

A Malian military source interviewed by French newspaper Le Monde said Morocco, which maintains good relations with both France and Mali, reportedly played a role.

Insurgents attack multiple towns in northern and central Mali, army says

Security pressure

Mali has faced a security crisis since 2012 involving groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as criminal gangs and separatist movements.

Since April, the country has seen a series of attacks by a coalition of Tuareg separatists from the Front de libération de l'Azawad (Azawad Liberation Front, FLA) and jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

The attacks led to the death of Mali's defence minister, the capture of the northern city of Kidal and the brief seizure of the town of Anefis.

In recent years, Mali has moved away from France in its fight against insurgents and strengthened military and political ties with Russia. France withdrew its 2,400 troops from Mali in 2022 as relations deteriorated.

On Thursday, the Malian army announced the release of 82 soldiers held since April by JNIM and the FLA.

A foreign ministry source told AFP that Algeria helped secure their release.

Mali and Algeria began easing tensions in July. Despite a dispute that had lasted more than a year, the two countries announced the return of ambassadors and the reopening of their airspace to each other.

(with AFP)

Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.

Zambia Opposition Leader Claims Election Victory As Hichilema Awaits Official Results

Nyasa Times

Mundubile (L) claims shock victory over Hichilema as Zambia election descends into crisis

14 August 2026

263Chat (Harare)

By Lovejoy Mutongwiza

Zambia's presidential election entered a tense phase on Friday after opposition leader Brian Mundubile claimed victory, while incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema stopped short of declaring a win and said his camp was receiving "encouraging results" as official counting continued.

Mundubile, leader of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), said his party's Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT), based on results collected from polling stations and totalling centres nationwide, indicated that he had won the presidency.

In a statement issued on August 14, Mundubile questioned delays in the publication and verification of official results, warning that prolonged uncertainty could create room for interference or manipulation.

He called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to immediately release results and provide political parties and observers with access to electoral records needed to independently verify the outcome.

Mundubile also cited allegations of irregularities reported by his party, including claims that military personnel had taken control of some totalling centres in Mufulira and that Gen 20 result forms had been removed.

He further raised concerns over alleged incidents involving ballot boxes in Chawama and Matero constituencies, as well as reports that election officials in North-Western Province had been instructed to stop issuing results and Gen 20 forms.

The opposition leader called for all ballot boxes and electoral documents to be preserved, with their chain of custody maintained. He also urged the ECZ to publish results at polling-station and constituency level so figures can be reconciled against original records.

Hichilema, meanwhile, urged Zambians to remain calm and await the official declaration.

"We continue to receive encouraging results and reports of peace, unity and solidarity across our country as the votes come in," he said.

"Let us remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote."

Mundubile also called on supporters to avoid violence, saying the protection of the vote must be pursued within the law.

With both camps expressing confidence in their respective tallies, attention is now focused on the ECZ as it verifies and announces the official results.

"The people of Zambia voted. Their decision must be respected," Mundubile sai

Read the original article on 263Chat.

United States and Israeli Policy Further Divides Somalia

White House to cut back on United Nations assistance while there is continued military and diplomatic interference by Washington and Tel Aviv

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday August 12, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

A recent announcement by the administration of United States President Donald Trump that it will withdraw monetary support for the United Nations Mission in the Horn of Africa state of Somalia has further endangered the capacity for national unity and economic growth.

This country and the broader region have been long coveted by the US and its allies due to its strategic location near the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Indian Ocean.

It should not be surprising that these discussions around the future of imperialist involvement in Somalia and the Horn of Africa have resurfaced in light of the failure of the US and Israel to defeat the Islamic Republic of Iran and its allies in West Asia. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility of a similar military tactics being utilized by the Ansar Allah resistance movement in Yemen related to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has caused panic on an international level.

The sharp rise in commodity prices including oil has caused severe distress in international markets as the impact of the US-Israeli war against Iran is being felt throughout other geo-political regions across the globe. Even though President Donald Trump and his cabinet have dismissed widespread concerns among people living in the US over rising prices, the majority of the population have expressed opposition to the foreign policy of the administration. 

Prospects for oil exploration and drilling in Somalia have existed for decades although these plans have never reached fruition. Decades-long imperialist interference in the internal affairs of Somalia has spawned separatist enclaves and armed insurgencies which have hampered the attainment of peace and security inside the country. 

These external and internal problems can easily be viewed as a cause for the humanitarian crisis involving food deficits and threats of renewed famine. Despite the billions of dollars which have gone into reshaping the security apparatus of Somalia, there are millions of people still facing starvation and lack of water resources. 

In a recently published report from Radio Dalsan on the status of US and UN assistance to Somalia, it notes that:

“The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has opened a tender seeking licensed auctioneers to sell off a wide range of its vehicles, generators and other equipment in Somalia, a notice published on the UN Global Marketplace shows. The call for expressions of interest, issued August 6, comes as Washington moves to cut off funding for the UN's logistical support mission by the end of 2026, deepening uncertainty over the future of international backing for Somalia's fight against al-Shabab. The tender matters now because it lands at the center of a widening rift between the United States and the United Nations over how and whether, to keep supporting Somalia's security transition. UNSOS underpins the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), supplying transport, fuel, food and other non-lethal supplies to roughly 12,000 African troops and police fighting a resilient insurgency. Any wind-down of that support network would strike at the core of the mission's ability to operate.” (https://allafrica.com/stories/202608110106.html)

However, the possibility of a shutdown of the UN Mission which coordinates the African Union Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) does not mean the end of imperialist machinations in the country as well as the entire Horn of Africa region. Although the Trump administration has formally withdrawn from a number of international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement as well as liquidating the Agency for International Development (USAID), this does not mean that they are disengaging from world affairs. 

The administration in Washington has advanced proposals to replace the assistance to African states by the WHO and USAID by negotiating bilateral agreements. Some AU member-states have accepted the Trump administrations proposals while others have rejected them. 

Pentagon Moves into Puntland While Israel Recognizes Somaliland

In Somalia, the most widely known breakaway areas are Somaliland and Puntland. These two areas located in the north of the country have not been recognized as independent entities by the United Nations and the African Union. 

The operational independence of these breakaway areas is a direct result of the collapse of the previous military government of General Mohamed Siad Barre during 1991. Despite this 35-year-old dispute, the Federal capital in Mogadishu continues to claim sovereignty over these regions of the country.

Nonetheless, the divisions which exist in Somalia makes it prone to imperialist and zionist interference which have implications for the entire country and the Horn of Africa region. In the period leading up to the presidential and congressional elections of 2024, it was reported that a second Trump administration would recognize Somaliland as an independent state.

Although formal recognition by Washington of Somaliland has not occurred as of yet, the State of Israel has established diplomatic relations with this breakaway area. This action by Tel Aviv prompted large demonstrations in Mogadishu condemning the zionist settler-colonial state for its role in the internal affairs of Somalia.

These developments have implications which extend beyond diplomatic recognition. The threat of further international conflict in the Horn of Africa and West Asia remains. A potential merger of the geopolitical struggles in the Horn of Africa and West Asia could easily result in a further deteriorating securing situation. 

According to one source which studies the US-Israeli axis in their attempts to seize control over areas throughout both geopolitical regions, indicates that the risk of instability has risen to higher levels. The impact of diplomatic recognition of Somaliland by Tel Aviv as well as Washinton’s reconfiguration of its imperialist project in the Horn of Africa, could very well result in a broader conflict.

The Geopolitical Monitor website says of the current situation:

“On June 1, the Global Conflict Index published a report documenting how conflicts in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa risk merging into a singular conflict system. While functionally independent of each other, overlapping interests and actors are blurring the lines between these conflicts. Two aspects of the above report are particularly concerning regarding developments between Israel and Somaliland. The first is the role of ‘bridging states’ like Israel in merging conflicts systems – states that are structurally embedded and pursuing interests in both regions. The second aspect is the single ‘shock’ that precipitates the two conflict theaters fusing together. Any number of events could act as the trigger. Israel’s activity in Somaliland is one such risk. Overlapping strategic interests in Somaliland, great power politics in the Horn of Africa, and ripple effects from the Iran war have combined to render the policy of diplomatic recognition far more dangerous than originally envisioned.” (https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/israel-somaliland-recognition-two-conflict-zones-collide-in-the-mena/)

Furthering this possible merger of the two conflict zones is the reports of US escalation of its military presence in Puntland. If there is a heightened US presence in Puntland it could easily attract the attention of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Yemen. 

The potential for greater instability related to the worsening capacity of the Federal government in Mogadishu to provide security for the state, may in the short term, provide a rationale for the deployment of more Pentagon troops into Somalia and the entire Horn of Africa region. Consequently, the foreign policy of the Trump administration can only exacerbate the already precarious security situation in the region.

Responsible Statecraft says in a report on the expansion of Pentagon presence in the breakaway areas of Somalia, that:

“In early August, the top U.S. special operations commander for Africa signed a security agreement with the president of Puntland — a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia — to expand the American military installation there. The deal surfaced through a short statement from the Puntland government. ‘Under the agreement, the United States will expand its military base in Bosaso to improve operations against terrorism and to help protect maritime security,’ the Puntland Government of Somalia wrote in a statement. ‘The Puntland state remains committed to fighting terrorism and any threat that could harm the security, stability, and development of Puntland, Somalia, and the Horn of Africa.’ There are few details regarding the arrangement, which has no public text and has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) or anybody in Washington.” (https://responsiblestatecraft.org/us-military-base-somalia/)

Unity is the Only Solution

Therefore, observers inside of Africa and internationally should not be confused by the rhetoric of the Trump administration which says it is resolving conflicts and downsizing its presence in the Global South. Since the beginning of the second non-consecutive term of Trump, the international situation has been marked by escalating wars in Africa, Latin America and West Asia. 

The AU along with other interested mass organizations and political parties on the continent have no choice except advocating greater unity within and between the 55-member states. As long as the imperialists and their allies can divide and conquer African states, there can be no progress in regard to economic development and political stability. 

Morocco Tightens Ceuta Border Security Over Mass Crossing Calls

By Al Mayadeen English

12 Aug 2026 22:04

Morocco tightened security around the Ceuta border after detecting online calls encouraging a new mass crossing attempt on August 15.

Moroccan authorities have stepped up security near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after detecting online calls encouraging another large-scale attempt to cross the border on August 15.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that anonymous posts circulating on social media had falsely suggested that the crossing linking the northern Moroccan town of Fnideq with Ceuta would be opened on Friday, which is a public holiday in Spain.

Authorities said the messages appeared aimed at mobilizing people for a coordinated attempt to enter the Spanish-controlled territory irregularly.

“All the necessary measures were taken to counter all attempts at illegal passage and intercept every person seeking to participate,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi said.

The ministry said it had identified “the circulation of publications and anonymous messages on social media inciting the organisation of collective, illegal crossing attempts” toward Ceuta.

Moroccan officials warned that those responsible for spreading or organizing the calls could face legal action. El Khalfi said several people suspected of involvement had already been summoned for questioning, according to Morocco’s state-run MAP news agency.

Authorities seek to prevent repeat of July crisis

The heightened security measures come less than a month after an unprecedented surge at the same border.

Around 72,000 people, the majority of them Moroccan nationals, entered Ceuta irregularly over several days in late July, marking the largest such movement recorded into the territory.

Most of those who crossed were later returned to Morocco. However, local authorities in Ceuta say approximately 2,000 people remain there, including nearly 1,000 unaccompanied minors.

Rabat has called on Spanish authorities to accelerate procedures for returning the minors.

The July crossings also resulted in a significant loss of life, although Moroccan and Spanish authorities have issued sharply different figures.

Moroccan authorities said 11 bodies were recovered following the crisis, while Spain reported that at least 80 people had died.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights offered a substantially higher estimate, saying at least 141 people were killed.

Ceuta, located on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast but administered by Spain, has repeatedly been a focal point for migration toward European territory, with attempts to enter the enclave often increasing during periods of heightened political or economic pressure.

South Sudan Elections Face Uncertainty amid Conflict and Delays

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Aug 2026 20:46

UN officials warn that South Sudan’s 2026 elections face major challenges as violence, displacement, and delays threaten a peaceful political transition.

As South Sudan's first elections in December 2026 near, the UN secretary-general’s special representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, stated that conditions for peaceful and inclusive polls remain uncertain. 

“While elections represent an important transition milestone, concerns are growing about whether conditions necessary for credible, peaceful and inclusive elections can be established in time,” Gbeho said.

She raised concerns on Thursday over the continued clashes between government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition, stating that civilians continue to suffer from loss of livelihoods and displacement. 

Over 420,000 people were displaced by violence between January and June, while South Sudan is already hosting roughly 1.4 million people who escaped the war in neighboring Sudan. 

Gbeho urged South Sudan's leadership and the international community to make a primary effort in ending the war, protecting civilians and humanitarian workers, and guaranteeing access to aid. 

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has remained firm on the fact that elections will be held as scheduled on December 22, 2026.

Juba remains far behind in election preparations

The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) told the 15-member UN Security Council on Thursday that South Sudan is falling far behind schedule in its preparations for the upcoming elections. 

“Critical prerequisites for the conduct of credible, peaceful and inclusive elections remain unmet,” RJMEC Chairperson George Aggrey Owinow said, pressing on South Sudan’s leaders to build political consensus through “inclusive and genuine dialogue.”

The commission stated that urgent decisions had to be made on unresolved legal and political questions, the completion of the unification of forces, amnesty for civic and political space, reasonable funding for electoral bodies, and improving security in conflict-affected areas, while also making an effort towards the displacement of civilians.

RJMEC further stated that the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement was “significantly constrained” by a political and security impasse that has persisted since March 2025.

It further criticized amendments made to the peace agreement that removed the permanent constitution and national census and necessary conditions for elections, stating that these changes were made without considering the procedures required under the accord. 

RJMEC noted that worsening humanitarian conditions, including displacement, food insecurity and restricted humanitarian access, were limiting the involvement of women, young people and people with disabilities in political and civic processes. Women’s representation in South Sudan continued to dip below the 35% quota required under the peace agreement.

US Military Set to End two-decade Presence in Iraq by Sept. 30

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Associated Press

13 Aug 2026 15:50

Washington is preparing to withdraw its remaining forces from Iraq, closing a chapter that began with the 2003 US invasion and continued through years of military intervention.

The United States is on track to withdraw its remaining forces from Iraq by September 30, according to US and Iraqi officials who spoke with the Associated Press, marking the latest and potentially final stage of a military intervention that began with Washington's 2003 invasion and occupation of the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi reaffirmed September 30 as the "fixed and final date for ending the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq and completing the departure of its forces" after meeting with US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper on Wednesday.

A US official also confirmed to AP that Washington expects to complete the withdrawal by the deadline, although the official declined to disclose how many US troops remain in Iraq or where they would be redeployed.

The withdrawal comes after more than two decades of US military intervention in Iraq, during which Washington invaded and occupied the country, withdrew its combat forces in 2011, and returned militarily in 2014.

US occupation forces set to leave Iraq by September 30

The September 30 deadline follows the 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington to wind down the US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq.

Most US forces withdrew from bases across Iraq last year, while a remaining contingent stayed in the Kurdistan Region. Two Iraqi Kurdish officials told AP that the drawdown of US troops and military equipment from Erbil began approximately three weeks ago.

The departure would represent a major reduction in the US military footprint in a country where Washington deployed more than 170,000 troops at the height of its counterinsurgency operations in 2007.

While Washington describes the current withdrawal as the conclusion of its military mission against ISIS, the broader history is inseparable from the 2003 invasion and the subsequent occupation of Iraq.

Two decades of US intervention in Iraq

The US invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam Hussein's government and initiated an occupation that profoundly reshaped Iraq and the wider region.

Washington's military presence reached more than 170,000 troops during the 2007 counterinsurgency campaign. The final US combat troops withdrew in December 2011, but the departure proved temporary.

In 2014, US forces returned to Iraq after ISIS seized large areas of the country and Syria. Washington presented the deployment as part of the campaign against ISIS and maintained approximately 2,500 troops after the group lost its territorial control, officially for training and counter-ISIS operations.

For Iraq's Resistance, however, the continued presence of US troops represented an extension of foreign military intervention and a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.

In June 2025, Kataib Hezbollah warned of severe consequences should US forces fail to withdraw from Iraqi bases, including Ain al-Asad and Camp Victoria.

Washington's military presence amid regional escalation

The remaining US presence in northern Iraq has also become entangled with the wider regional confrontation.

US bases in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region have faced repeated attacks since the launch of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, according to the source material.

The latest withdrawal preparations come as Washington's regional military posture faces growing pressure, taking place against a broader backdrop in which US military intervention has faced increasing resistance and strategic setbacks across West Asia.

New Images Show Damage from Iranian Strikes on US-linked Gulf Sites

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Fars News Agency

13 Aug 2026 21:31

New satellite imagery published by Fars News Agency shows damage from earlier Iranian strikes on US military, intelligence-linked, energy, and industrial infrastructure in the UAE and Bahrain.

Iranian media have released new satellite imagery showing extensive damage inflicted by Iranian strikes on US military and US-linked strategic infrastructure across the Gulf during the war.

The images, published by Iran’s Fars News Agency on Thursday, compare several facilities before and after Iranian attacks, including sites in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The material does not appear to document a new round of strikes. Rather, it provides new imagery of attacks carried out earlier in the war, offering a clearer picture of the damage sustained by military, intelligence-linked, and industrial facilities across the region.

Among the locations highlighted is Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, where an Iranian strike destroyed a US TPS-57 long-range surveillance radar.

The imagery shows a large radar structure before the attack and substantial destruction around the installation afterward. Fars described the radar as a key component of the US military’s regional surveillance network.

Strategic and industrial sites hit

Another set of images shows damage at the Habshan gas complex in the UAE, where Iran struck a gas-compression facility.

Habshan is a major component of the UAE’s gas infrastructure. Damage at the complex following Iranian attacks had previously been acknowledged by Emirati authorities, although the full extent of the destruction was not immediately disclosed.

The newly released imagery also includes a data center in Bahrain supporting US military intelligence operations.

Satellite images presented by the Iranian outlet show significant damage at the location following the strike. Previous reporting and satellite imagery had also documented Iranian attacks affecting data-center infrastructure in Bahrain, including facilities operated by Amazon Web Services.

A fourth set of images focuses on an industrial facility in the UAE, where an Iranian attack destroyed a carbon unit used by the aluminum industry.

Emirates Global Aluminium previously confirmed that its Al Taweelah industrial complex sustained significant damage during Iranian missile and drone attacks. Subsequent reports indicated that restoring some of the damaged infrastructure could require months of repair work.

Iran highlights reach of its strikes

The publication of the new imagery comes as Tehran continues to stress the scale and precision of its military operations against US forces and infrastructure supporting Washington’s regional military presence.

Throughout the war, Iran repeatedly stated that US bases and facilities used to support attacks against the Islamic Republic would be considered legitimate military targets.

The newly released images are being presented as evidence that Tehran succeeded in reaching sensitive installations despite the extensive network of US and allied air-defense systems deployed across the Gulf.

Fars said the targeted facilities collectively as part of the United States’ regional “backbone,” arguing that the strikes extended beyond conventional military bases to infrastructure supporting Washington’s surveillance, intelligence, energy, and logistical networks.

Hormuz Under Full Iranian Control, US Claims False: Khatam al-Anbiya

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters

13 Aug 2026 17:42

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters rejected US claims of normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has reaffirmed that control over the Strait of Hormuz remains firmly in Iranian hands, rejecting US attempts to present maritime traffic through the strategic waterway as having returned to normal.

The headquarters framed Washington’s claims as part of a broader effort to project control that has not materialized on the ground.

“Washington’s claims that vessels are passing normally through the Strait of Hormuz are nothing but lies and fabrications,” the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said.

The statement noted that the balance governing passage through the Strait has not changed and that the Islamic Republic continues to determine the conditions under which ships may cross.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains, as before, under the full management and control of the Islamic Republic,” the headquarters stressed.

That authority, it added, extends directly to commercial navigation.

“No commercial vessel or oil tanker has been, or will be, able to pass safely through the Strait without authorization from the Armed Forces.”

Iran challenges US claims

The statements directly challenge Washington’s portrayal of the Strait as operating normally and reinforce Tehran’s argument that US military presence and public declarations have not translated into the ability to restore unrestricted navigation without Iranian approval.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Tehran said Iranian officials view US President Donald Trump’s latest remarks through the same lens, interpreting them as an attempt to compensate politically and rhetorically for Washington’s inability to achieve its objectives.

“Iran considers Trump’s statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz to be nothing more than media hype aimed at covering up the failure of the aggression to achieve its objectives,” the correspondent said.

Tehran’s position therefore remains unchanged: normal maritime activity will not resume simply on the basis of US declarations.

“The Strait of Hormuz is completely closed, and maritime traffic cannot resume until the United States meets Iran’s conditions.”

Iran holds its ground as talks continue

Diplomatic contacts with Oman are continuing alongside Iran’s refusal to relinquish its leverage over the Strait.

“Talks between Tehran and Muscat are continuing, according to Iranian officials, and are proceeding positively, with progress achieved on several levels,” Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.

The continuation of those talks does not alter Tehran’s insistence that control over the waterway remains with Iran or that unrestricted passage depends on its conditions being met.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters broadened its criticism of Washington, describing US policy itself as a persistent source of instability in the region.

“The United States constantly seeks to foment trouble, instability, and insecurity in the region,” it said.

The headquarters also dismissed US threats as incapable of forcing Iran to retreat from its position.

“Washington’s threats, which are not backed by any real power or foundation, will produce nothing but further misery and helplessness.”

Rather than treating Washington’s military pressure as decisive, the headquarters pointed to previous confrontations as evidence that US leaders are already familiar with Iran’s ability and willingness to resist.

“Washington’s leaders and military have, in the past and up to this day, experienced firsthand the strength of the Iranian people and the courage of the nation’s sons serving in the Armed Forces.”

Khatam al-Anbiya warns against further escalation

The headquarters said the Iranian Armed Forces remain fully alert to US and Israeli activity across the region.

“The Iranian Armed Forces are monitoring all movements of the American and Zionist enemies in the region.”

It also tied Iran’s position in the Strait to the broader defense of national sovereignty and the principles of the Islamic Revolution.

“The Iranian Armed Forces will not hesitate to secure the rights of the people and safeguard national sovereignty under the leadership of Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei.”

“The Iranian Armed Forces will not retreat even an inch from defending the principles of the Revolution under the leadership of Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei.”

The message from Khatam al-Anbiya was ultimately one of deterrence: Iran will not yield control under pressure and will treat any escalation as grounds for an even stronger response.

“The Iranian Armed Forces will respond to any threat, regardless of its nature or level, with a response more powerful and severe than before.”