Algeria approves troop deployment to Niger: what is their mission?

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By Clara Nabaa & Jeremiah Fisayo-Bambi

Published on 26 October 2026 - 14:09 GMT+1

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This rare move comes amid strengthened security ties between Algeria and Niamey following the thwarting of an attempted coup in Niger in August.

Algeria has approved sending troops to neighbouring Niger to "protect energy installations", in particular oil projects operated by the state-owned company Sonatrach, marking what will be the country's first foreign deployment of military forces since the 1970s.

The rare measure comes as both countries strengthen security ties months after a thwarted mutiny in Niger, which has seen Algeria gift four military helicopters to Niamey.

The move was approved in a closed extraordinary session of the parliament on Sunday, where 148 of the 174 lawmakers were present in the upper house and voted in favour of the deployment.

The parliament's lower house said it also voted "by an absolute majority" to deploy the military unit in Niger, though it did not provide numbers.

Article 91 of the Algerian constitution stipulates that any deployment of troops abroad must be endorsed by two-thirds of the members of each chamber.

The overseas deployment will be a first since Algiers sent troops to support Egypt during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

So far, the authorities have not announced the size of the force to be sent or the start date of its mission, while stressing that the deployment will be limited and focused on protecting Algerian investments.

Growing military cooperation

Sunday's vote followed a visit last Wednesday by Niger's Defence Minister Salifou Modi to Algeria, where he met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the country's army chief Saïd Chengriha.

According to Algerian reports, a military cooperation protocol was signed by the two sides during the visit.

Tebboune had paved the way for this step on 3 October, declaring in a televised address that his country was ready to defend Niger. He said, "We will protect Niger whatever it takes," accusing unnamed states of plotting against it.

After providing the helicopters in August, Algeria dispatched four Su-30 fighter jets accompanied by an in-flight refuelling aircraft, to support Nigerien authorities when a coup attempt was foiled in the same month.

Oil and gas projects

Economic interests are a central driver of Algeria’s move, particularly as Sonatrach expands its investments in Niger through its international subsidiary SIPEX, which manages projects in the Kafra oil field in the north of the country, around 85 kilometres from the Algerian border.

The company began drilling one of its wells in the area on 13 August, as part of a project whose oil resources are estimated, according to figures reported by Anadolu Agency, to exceed 2.5 billion barrels, making it one of Sonatrach’s key investments outside Algeria.

Algeria’s interests go beyond the direct oil sector, as Niger forms a strategic corridor for the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline, which will stretch for more than 4,000 kilometres to carry Nigerian gas to Europe via Niger and Algeria.

Algeria started work in June on the section of the pipeline that crosses its territory and inaugurated a 40-megawatt power plant to supply Niamey and surrounding areas with electricity.

Tebboune has linked the military moves to economic interests, referring to agreements signed with Niger in the oil and mining sectors and other fields, and warning of actors seeking to undermine these projects.

A historic shift in Algerian policy

Observers argue that the military support goes beyond protecting oil installations and reflects a broader shift in Algeria’s approach to regional crises, after decades in which the country relied on diplomacy and dialogue and remained wary of military action beyond its borders.

Relations between Algeria and Niger had been strained for months following Algeria's downing last year of a drone from Mali. The incident triggered a diplomatic row, with Niger joining fellow junta-led allies Mali and Burkina Faso in recalling its ambassador from Algiers.

The neighbours, who share a 960-kilometre desert border, have, however, in recent months committed to enhanced economic and security cooperation that includes combatting jihadist violence, cross-border crime and trafficking.

Since July 2023, Niger has been ruled by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, who deposed elected president Mohamed Bazoum, held in custody ever since, while the country continues to grapple with security turmoil and ongoing armed attacks.

Additional sources • AFP

President Abbas Congratulates Algerian President on Anniversary of Algeria’s Revolution

RAMALLAH, October 30, 2026 (WAFA) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday congratulated Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on the occasion of the anniversary of Algeria’s Glorious Revolution.

In a congratulatory cable, President Abbas expressed his pride in the historic bonds of brotherhood between the two peoples and countries, and praised the Algerian president’s honorable fraternal positions and continued support for the Palestinian people and their just cause.

He further said that as Palestinians remember the sacrifices of the Algerian people and their distinguished struggle for freedom and independence, they draw inspiration from their enduring legacy of resilience and determination to secure their legitimate rights. He added that these are the same values underpinning the Palestinian people’s ongoing struggle for freedom, self-determination and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Y.S

Algeria Senate Approves Sending Troops to Niger

https://arab.news/gsepp

AFP

October 25, 2026

The rare measure from Algeria comes as Algiers and Niamey strengthen security ties after moving earlier this year to repair strained relations and following a thwarted mutiny in Niger in August

ALGIERS, Algeria: Algeria’s upper house of parliament on Sunday approved a proposal to deploy troops to neighboring Niger to “protect energy facilities,” a senator speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.

Any overseas deployment would mark a first since Algiers sent troops to support Egypt during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The legislator said 148 senators in the 174-seat body voted in favor of the move. The parliament’s lower house is set to vote on the proposal later in the day, likely to approve it as well.

The rare measure from Algeria comes as Algiers and Niamey strengthen security ties after moving earlier this year to repair strained relations and following a thwarted mutiny in Niger in August.

Niger faces persistent attacks by armed groups, including in areas near the border with Algeria.

The neighbors, who share a 960-kilometer (600-mile) desert border, have agreed to deepen cooperation against jihadist violence, cross-border crime and trafficking.

“This decision marks a historic break with Algeria’s doctrine of non-intervention in military conflicts beyond its borders,” said Abdellah Akir, an international relations researcher.

“It’s driven by the need to protect Algeria’s strategic depth in the Sahel and to secure the future trans-Saharan gas pipeline,” Akir told AFP.

The two countries have been working to build the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), a vast project to export natural gas to Europe from Nigeria via Niger.

‘STRONG SIGNAL’

Akir said the measure also sought to “send a strong signal to competing actors, including Morocco and the United Arab Emirates” — two countries with which Algiers no longer has diplomatic ties.

Geoff Porter, an analyst with the North Africa Risk Consulting group, said the move was “illustrative of a shift in Algerian policy.”

Algeria had tried to maintain its national interests and exert its regional influence through its customary means — dialogue, international law, multilateral forums,” Porter told AFP.

“But in a multipolar and transactional world, those don’t work anymore. Instead, Algeria moved toward more tangible means — actual physical presence.”

“Algeria is still committed to its foreign policy principles,” he added. “It’s just demonstrating them in a new way.”

Earlier this month, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune signalled the possibility of military involvement in the Sahel country.

“We will protect Niger no matter what,” he said in a televised address on October 3. “There are countries, which I will not name, that have conspired against (Niger). We stand by its side.”

“Today, we have interests,” Tebboune then said. “We have reached agreements (with Niger) in the oil, mining and other sectors, and some are seeking to destroy all of this overnight.”

Algeria’s highly unusual measure to deploy troops outside its territory requires the approval of two-thirds of its parliament, according to a constitutional amendment from 2020.

GIFTED WARPLANES

The vote followed a visit last Wednesday by Niger’s Defense Minister Salifou Modi to Algeria, where he met with Tebboune and army chief Said Chengriha.

A military cooperation protocol was signed by the two sides, according to Algerian reports, but no details were given at the time.

The move also comes months after Algiers gifted four military helicopters to Niamey.

The warplanes were deployed at the request of Nigerien authorities, the Algerian defense ministry said.

Additionally, Algeria inaugurated a 40-megawatt power plant in June intended to supply electricity to Niamey and surrounding areas.

Algeria and Niger’s relations had been strained for months following Algeria’s downing last year of a drone from Mali.

The incident triggered a diplomatic row, with Niger joining fellow junta-led allies Mali and Burkina Faso in recalling its ambassador from Algiers.

Algeria and Mali have since resumed diplomatic ties.

Niger has been run by General Tiani since a coup in July 2023 that toppled the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained ever since.

Algeria to Send Troops to Niger in First Foreign Deployment in Over 50 Years

Algerian flags are waved outside the parliament building in Algeria, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Fateh Guidoum)

7:49 PM EDT, October 25, 2026

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria’s parliament approved a resolution Sunday to send troops to Niger, making it the first time Algerian soldiers will be deployed abroad since 1973, when they were sent to support Egypt during the Arab-Israeli war.

Authorities have not released any information about when and where exactly the Algerian army detachment will be deployed, or how many soldiers will be involved.

Algerian Sen. Belkacem Boulghiti said troops would be sent “to protect Algeria’s economic and strategic interests, particularly its oil facilities in Niger.”

“We are not sending our soldiers to wage war in Niger, but for a mission to secure economic infrastructure,” he told reporters as he left the chamber after the vote. “It is simply an adaptation of our doctrine to evolving circumstances so we can rise to the new challenges imposed by the situation in the Sahel region.”

Algeria’s state-owned energy giant and the largest company in Africa, Sonatrach, has been working with the Sahelian country on the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, which is designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria, through Niger to Algeria for export to European markets.

The western Sahel region comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, has been shaken by violent extremism due to deadly attacks by armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group and the governments fighting them. All three countries have seen coups in recent years and struggled with overstretched security forces.

The move on Sunday emphasizes the thawing relations between Algeria and Niger.

In August, Algeria was the first country to express support for Niger after aggrieved soldiers staged a mutiny against the military junta under Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, which was repelled by loyalist forces aided by Russian troops.

After its foreign ministry assured Niger of its “full solidarity and firm support,” Algeria then sent a delegation to Niger’s capital, Niamey, with four combat fighter jets and a military transport aircraft in what Niger’s ruling council described as “the demonstration of the strategic support.”

The diplomatic rift between the two countries plunged to a historic low last year.

Last April, the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States — Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso — recalled their ambassadors from Algeria following an incident in which a Malian drone was shot down by Algeria’s army near the border.

Algeria’s foreign ministry also condemned the 2023 coup which brought Niger’s junta leader Tchiani to power.

First Body Retrieved from Kenyan Collapsed Building After Weeklong Search

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI

5:43 AM EDT, October 30, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The first body was recovered on Friday from the rubble of a multistory building that collapsed a week ago in Kenya’s capital, with 16 people still missing. Authorities had deployed thermal imaging technology to help search through the debris.

The body of a woman was found badly mutilated after being crushed by the heavy concrete and steel that made up the 18-story building in Nairobi’s busy Eastleigh commercial area.

The building, which was under construction, collapsed last Friday.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building did not have the required construction approvals. He added that renting out completed shops on the ground and basement floors was illegal, as regulations require buildings to undergo inspection and obtain an occupation certificate before being occupied.

Families who believed their loved ones were still trapped beneath the rubble have been camping at the collapse site for a week, hoping for positive news.

However, some had begun losing hope after the critical 72-hour window following the collapse had passed. They said they were increasingly doubtful that their loved ones could survive more than three days under the rubble.

Since Saturday, no other survivors had been pulled from the debris. The four people rescued earlier recounted their traumatic experiences of being trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Earlier this week, authorities deployed thermal imaging technology provided by a team from China to assist in the search. Officials said the equipment had detected two human beings beneath the rubble.

South African Court Allows Anti-Illegal Immigration Marches Under Strict Conditions

Crowds of anti-illegal immigration protesters demonstrate in the streets in Durban, South Africa, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo)

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME

11:07 AM EDT, October 30, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African court ruled Friday that anti-illegal immigration groups could hold demonstrations in the South African city of Durban under strict conditions, after police sought to ban the protests over fears of violence.

Police had asked the court to block planned marches by the March and March movement, alleging that demonstrators intended to burn down a refugee reception center during a protest scheduled for Thursday.

That march did not take place after the KwaZulu-Natal High Court issued a temporary order against the protests.

Under the new ruling, protesters must follow designated routes and cannot carry sticks or conceal their faces. They can only demonstrate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Police argued that although South Africa protects the right to protest, that right is limited when demonstrations become disruptive.

“With the application, we don’t intend to prohibit lawful marches and protests of whatever nature, but what we’re against is breaking the law, damage to property, attacking people and injuring people,” South African national police chief Fannie Masemola said Friday.

Protesters have accused foreigners who are in the country illegally of stealing their jobs as the country’s unemployment rate remains high. They also blame them for overburdening public services and for high crime rates in the country.

Some African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, have repatriated their citizens following violence that began several weeks before an unofficial June 30 deadline set by protesters for immigrants living in the country illegally to leave.

Earlier this month, protests over a court ruling easing access to asylum turned violent, with at least 24 cars torched and shops looted.

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has accused the government and the police of trying to deprive demonstrators of their right to protest.

The government recently deployed over 500 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal province, which includes Durban.

With South Africans set to vote in local elections next week, the issue of illegal immigration has featured prominently in the campaign.

Ancient Martian Meteorite Discovered in Mali Formed Over 4.1 Billion Years Ago: Study

NASA-funded study finds that Teghaza 001, found in the Sahara Desert in 2022, offers new insights into Mars' ancient crust and the role of water in its geological evolution

Gizem Nisa Demir

30 October 2026

ISTANBUL

A meteorite discovered in Mali in 2022 dates back more than 4.1 billion years, offering scientists rare insights into Mars' ancient crust and water history, according to a recent study.

NASA-funded researchers have determined that Teghaza 001, an approximately 800-gram (1.8-pound) meteorite found in the Sahara Desert, originated on Mars and is among the oldest Martian meteorites ever discovered on Earth.

Named after the salt plain in Mali where it was discovered, it is one of roughly 435 known Martian meteorites. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

The study provides an initial characterization of the meteorite, which contains a distinctive combination of igneous, or volcanic, minerals. These minerals offer clues about how Mars' crust formed as magma cooled and was later altered by subsurface water. A separate study published in Science Advances in June examined the meteorite's water content and its implications for the planet's early surface.

"It was only after we started looking closely that we realized this meteorite is really unique," said Yang Liu, the study's lead author and a researcher at JPL in Southern California. "One of the paper's reviewers called it a Rosetta Stone for Mars."

Teghaza 001 is among the three most ancient Martian meteorites found on Earth. The others include ALH84001, which is composed almost entirely of one mineral and is of a similar age, and "Black Beauty," which formed about 2.1 billion years ago.

The meteorite's mineral composition resembles material observed by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in the planet's cratered southern highlands. Although its exact origin remains unknown, researchers identified several potential locations consistent with its mineralogy and chemistry.

"This is really our first piece of Martian crust from a part of Mars we've never had a sample of before," said Lee Saper, the study's second author, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral scholar at JPL and is now a scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.

"It records interactions of water and rock and maybe even an imprint of the Martian atmosphere as it was losing water," Saper said.

Evidence of ancient water

Researchers at the University of New Mexico initially identified Teghaza 001 as Martian by analyzing its oxygen isotopes, which act as geochemical fingerprints. It appeared to belong to the shergottite class, the most common type of Martian meteorite.

However, Liu noticed unusual textures and minerals that warranted further investigation. Her team discovered zircon crystals, which preserve information about a rock's formation and help scientists determine its age.

Francois Tissot, a co-author from the California Institute of Technology, helped apply an in-situ rubidium-strontium dating technique developed by his team. The method analyzes individual mineral grains using a fragment smaller than a fingernail, preserving most of the rare meteorite for future research.

"Right now, we are one of very few labs in the world able to perform this kind of age-dating, and the first to date such an ancient Martian meteorite," Tissot said. "Our hope is to pave the way for dating even more Martian meteorites, or samples returned from other planets, their moons and asteroids."

The results showed that water altered the rock around 4.1 billion years ago, suggesting it originally formed even earlier. Evidence from its oxygen isotopes, texture and chemistry points to a dynamic water cycle on early Mars.

Researchers say further studies of Teghaza 001 could help clarify how water interacted with rocks and shaped the planet's early geological history.

"We've only scratched the surface," Liu said.

Resolute Says Mali Mine Largely Stabilized After Disruptions, Output to Rebound

Kitco Media

Oct 29, 2026 - 3:53 PM

Resolute Mining’s (ASX: RSG) flagship Syama gold mine in Mali has largely stabilised after months of operational disruptions, with production expected to rebound sharply in the current quarter, company executives said on Thursday.

The Syama mine in southwestern Mali is Resolute’s largest asset, accounting for roughly three-quarters of group production guidance this year.

The Australian miner produced 31,777 ounces at Syama in the third quarter after explosives shortages, contractor mobilisation delays and supply-chain disruptions hampered operations, its third-quarter report showed.

Chief Operating Officer Gavin Harris told analysts the Mali operation had “largely stabilized after a turbulent four to five months”, adding that an on-site emulsion plant due to start operating in November should remove a key bottleneck.

Resolute expects Syama output to rise to 45,000-50,000 ounces in the fourth quarter as mining and processing performance improve.

It also expects grades to recover towards reserve levels and plant recoveries to improve to around 80% from about 73% in the third quarter.

CEO Chris Eger said the company was maintaining a “very, very constructive and productive dialogue” with Mali’s government and had seen progress in mining permit renewals.

(Reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Editing by Jan Harvey)

Mali Drone Strike Kills 13 Civilians, Activists Say; Army Says it Targeted Militants

11:07 AM EDT, October 28, 2026

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — At least 13 civilians were killed in an overnight drone strike by Mali’s military earlier this week near the border with Mauritania, local human rights activists and a separatist armed group said Wednesday.

The Malian military said in a statement Wednesday that it had targeted terrorists “gathered under cover.”

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

“They had taken care to hide their motorcycles in an isolated location separate from their gathering place,” the military statement said. “After confirming the target, the position was successfully struck.”

A local human rights official said a Tuareg camp was bombed overnight Sunday into Monday in the town of Hassi Laghdaf near the border with Mauritania. “The bombs struck two tents and killed 13 people in their sleep, including women and children,” Tilla Ag Zeini, secretary-general of the Kal Akal Association, said.

Ag Zeini said the motorcycles belonged to a family of civilians from the Tuareg community, which he described as “peaceful.”

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front — the armed separatist group in northern Mali — posted images on social media allegedly showing what remained of the tents after the attack, along with a list of people reportedly killed in the strikes. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the photos.

Malian armed forces and their allies have responded to mounting attacks by Islamist and separatist armed groups with abusive counterinsurgency operations in central and northern Mali that often harm civilians, Human Rights Watch said in a report earlier this month.

It added that all sides of the conflict “are committing grave laws-of-war violations” and that “civilians are bearing the brunt of the Mali junta’s failure to rein in its abusive forces and allies.”

The landlocked country is part of the Sahel, a vast strip of land south of the Sahara Desert that has become the epicenter of extremist violence in recent years.

Niger Accuses Chad of Drone Attack that Killed Two Civilians

28/10 - 14:42

Niger

As their relations continue to deteriorate, Niger’s military government on Monday accused Chad of carrying out a deadly drone strike in which two civilians were killed and others wounded.

In a statement by the authorities read on national television, it said it had summoned the Chadian ambassador following the incident.

Niamey also demanded an immediate end to "hostile actions" and compensation for the damage caused.

The government said the attack hit the Salvador Pass early on Saturday in the mountainous Emi Lulu area of northern Niger.

The pass is located in a remote mining region near the borders with Algeria and Libya and is a key route for smuggling and militant activity.

Niger described the strike as an "act of aggression" and a "violation" of its sovereignty, accusing Chad of supporting mercenaries and targeting civilians and strategic infrastructure.

Niamey, which has severed ties with its former colonial ruler France, also claimed the attack was conducted "with the support” of Paris.

It said will refer the matter to the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council.

Niger called for an independent international investigation and appealed to its partners for solidarity.

In September, Niamey accused Chad of involvement in a foiled mutiny, alleging that France was backing efforts to destabilise the military government.

France and Chad Resume Military Cooperation as They Mend Ties

Chad

Two Mirage fighter jets and a transport aircraft will soon make a stopover in Chad where they will carry out "training activities," the French army said Thursday.

The announcement comes as relations between France and its former colony have been on the mend. N’Djamena kicked French troops out of the country in 2024, ending a six-decade security arrangement.

But in mid-October, France’s President Emmanuel Macron hosted Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno for talks in Paris.

"There has been a resumption of cooperation with Chad, in full respect of Chad's sovereignty," Xavier Rival, spokesperson for the French chief of defence staff said.

He told reporters that France's objective was “to contribute to efforts against regional instability” and that it would help develop "the capabilities of the Chadian air force".

The stopover will take place as part of a joint military exercise involving the armed forces of Ivory Coast, Gabon, and France in November, he added.

During Deby's visit in October, France and Chad signed a declaration of intent to structure their defence cooperation "on a renewed basis".

According to the Elysee, security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year, notably for military training, equipment supplies, and intelligence sharing.

Chad had been one of France's last military footholds in the Sahel.

Paris once deployed more than 5,000 soldiers in the region as part of the anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane, which ended in November 2022.

Coups between 2020 and 2023 in nearby Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger forced France to withdraw from those countries as their new leaders drew closer to Russia.

Ethiopia Retakes Rebel Stronghold in Tigray While Seeking to Stabilize Security Situation

Armed opposition groups have failed to make gains as the capital of Addis Ababa remains firmly under government control

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday October 28, 2026

Geostrategic Review

During September a group of armed opposition groups from various regions of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia declared that they would wage a war to seize power from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the ruling Prosperity Party. 

However, several weeks later the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) took control of the capital of the Tigray province resulting in the armed opposition group to abandon the capital of Mekelle.

The ENDF marched into Mekelle without any political or armed resistance from the then ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its military wing, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF). Although the TDF says that it abandoned its stronghold of Mekelle it claims that they will continue their fight outside of Mekelle.

As the TPLF fled the ENDF, another grouping aligned with the government in Addis Ababa, the Tigray Peace Forces (TPF), moved into Mekelle to take control of the day-to-day security issues. The TPF is a manifestation of the split within the opposition TPLF which occurred in the aftermath of the Pretoria Peace Agreement of 2022.

Many believe that the events of the last few months have effectively destroyed this peace agreement which was facilitated by several key members of the African Union (AU), primarily South Africa and Kenya. The negotiations which brought an end to the war between the TPLF based in Tigray and the central government in Addis Ababa was championed at the time as a prime example of the AU creating solutions to African problems. 

However, the joint statement issued by the opposition groupings in September which called themselves the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival (EPFAS) articulated no imminent threats which would warrant the initiation of a civil war. The groups which were encompassed in this coalition are the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF); Oromo Liberation Army (OLA); Amhara Fano National Movement (Fano); Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF); Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF/ANURF); and the Benishangul Peoples' Liberation Movement (BPLM).

Several of these organizations historically have been in extreme conflict with each other. Within this reality, what is the basis of the alliance of these regional groupings? Although these rebel groups have stated that their aim is to overthrow the central government there is no firm explanation as to how they differ politically from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. 

The TPLF which ruled the country from 1991-2018 after the collapse of the Ethiopia Worker’s Party under Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam, led a coalition called the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) that waged a war for the overthrow of the EWP. The ascendancy of the TPLF-EPRDF was heavily impacted by the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Socialist states in Eastern Europe which had supported the then Ethiopian government.  

A national rebellion during 2018 brought about the rise of Prime Minister Abiy. The Abiy government during 2018 signed a peace accord with neighboring Eritrea ending a war which had lasted for nearly two decades. However, in recent years relations with the State of Eritrea have deteriorated. 

Eritrea had been in congruence with the Ethiopian government when the TPLF-led province attempted to succeed from the authority of the central administration in Addis Ababa. After the defeat of the TPLF and the adoption of the Pretoria Agreement in 2022, tensions surfaced over the calls by Abiy for access to the Eritrean port at Massawa. 

Battlefield Reports from Tigray and Beyond

There have been reports of the defection of a leading figure within the TPLF. This compounds the internal splits inside the leading opposition rebel grouping.

According to a Substack post on the situation among the TPLF, it notes:

“The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has accused senior military commander Maj. Gen. Yohannes Woldegiorgis, also known as John Medid, of defecting to the Ethiopian Federal Government and disclosing military secrets. The accusation came a day after the pro-government Tigray Peace Force, which is allied with the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), confirmed that the general was in government custody. In a statement, the TPLF faction led by Debretsion Gebremichael alleged that Yohannes had refused to participate in an internal military evaluation before defecting with a small group of associates. The group further accused him of establishing contacts with the Federal Government and sharing sensitive military information.” (https://wazema.substack.com/p/tplf-accuses-senior-military-commander)

Other reports from the battlefield suggest that the alliance of armed opposition groupings have failed to make gains in their efforts to seize power inside Ethiopia. In a series of articles and a briefing from the Ethiopian military, the rebels have been halted in their military operations.

An Associated Press report published by the United States based ABC News says of the present situation that:

“An official in Tigray’s new federal-backed administration urged rebel fighters to lay down their weapons Friday, hours after a rebel commander called for continued resistance despite losing the northern Ethiopian region’s capital. The calls came nearly three weeks after rebels trying to overthrow the government lost control of Mekelle, Tigray's capital. Government-allied fighters entered Mekelle on Oct. 4 after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF, withdrew. Redae Halefom Woldeselassie, the caretaker administration’s chief executive for political and public mobilization, said rebel forces were collapsing and urged fighters to enter a disarmament and reintegration program. ‘This is not the time for settling scores, I call upon you to return to your homes and continue your civilian lives,’ he said in Mekelle. He dismissed the prospect of the rebels retaking the city and portrayed the conflict as serving a small group of leaders rather than the people of Tigray.” (https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/ethiopias-tigray-rebels-urged-disarm-commander-vows-fight-137511160)

Meanwhile, the Ethiopia government has announced that they have received the first batch of Su-35 fighter jets from the Russian Federation. The SU-35s will be accompanied by a number of S-400s as well which are designed to bolster their national security. (https://www.aol.com/articles/ethiopia-says-taken-delivery-12-122823000.html)

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed noted that the jets were delivered a year earlier than anticipated, saying that this was done due to Moscow’s concern over the security of the Horn of Africa state which is the headquarters of the 55 member-states AU in Addis Ababa. This announcement came on the eve of the convening of the Russia-Africa Summit on October 27-28 in Moscow.

Additional reports of refugees fleeing from Ethiopia into Kenya at Moyale is the result of conflicts between residents of the regional states of Oromia and Somalia. This displacement appears not to be connected with the rebel insurgents seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy. 

Status of the Renewed Tensions with Eritrea

There have been several news articles claiming that Eritrean troops have been sighted on the border areas with Ethiopia during mid-October. However, there have not been any confirmed reports of serious fighting between the two states.

The Russian Federation has offered to serve as a neutral location for mediation talks between Addis Ababa and Asmara. This offer was renewed during the Russia-Africa Summit.

A regional summit was held in Egypt during early October which excluded the Ethiopian government. Those present were the leaders of Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea. The meeting participants issued a joint statement, yet no further reports on the results of the gathering has been released.

Egypt has opposed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project which President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi says would undermine the country’s water supply. However, it was British colonialism which established the current arrangements involving the Nile Rivers aimed at benefitting Egypt at the expense of Ethiopia.

There can be no benefit to the people of the Horn of Africa if a full-scale war erupts in Ethiopia prompting widespread dislocation, injuries and deaths. The offer to mediate by the Russian Federation could provide an opening for the normalization of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea in the near future.

Turkey to Deploy Two Warships to Somalia as Political Tensions Mount

By Al Mayadeen English

28 Oct 2026 22:01

Turkey is preparing to deploy two warships to Somalia amid security pressures, federal troop movements, and tensions involving forces loyal to Laftagareen.

Turkey will send two warships to Somalia on Friday to transport supplies and rotate military personnel, as the Somali federal government reportedly deploys reinforcements to several areas of the Lower Shabelle region in the country's south amid escalating security and political tensions.

The Turkish Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that the frigates TCG Gökçeada and TCG Yıldırım would begin their voyage to Somalia on October 30 as part of missions to transport supplies by sea and rotate military personnel stationed there.

The ministry did not specify the nature of the equipment and supplies to be transported or clarify whether they were intended for Turkish forces stationed in Somalia or the Somali armed forces.

Turkey and Somalia deepen military cooperation

The planned deployment comes amid ongoing military and defense cooperation between Ankara and Mogadishu, which includes training Somali forces, developing their military capabilities, and cooperation on maritime security.

Turkey's Defense Ministry also said the Turkish Land Forces commander received his Somali counterpart and an accompanying delegation on October 24, as part of continued military contacts between the two countries.

Turkey maintains a military and training presence in Somalia, where it helps train and develop units of the Somali armed forces under bilateral arrangements aimed at strengthening the country's military and security institutions.

Somali government deploys reinforcements to Lower Shabelle

On the ground, local reports indicate that Somalia's federal government has sent additional military reinforcements to several areas of the Lower Shabelle region, including Marka, Qoryoley, Janale, and Bali Dogle.

The reported reinforcements include soldiers and military equipment, although the size of the deployment and the specific tasks assigned to the forces have not been disclosed.

The deployments come amid an escalating dispute between the federal government and forces loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, known as Laftagareen, the former president of South West State. His forces have expanded their presence in parts of the Bay, Bakool, and Lower Shabelle regions in recent weeks.

Local reports previously indicated that forces loyal to Laftagareen had entered Qoryoley, amid reciprocal military movements and concerns that confrontations could spread to additional areas.

Somalia faces overlapping security and political challenges

The latest military movements come as the Somali government continues military operations against Al-Shabaab while facing mounting political and military competition over control of the country's southwestern administration.

The deployment of competing forces has raised concerns about civilian security and freedom of movement, particularly in areas where rival military formations are present.

Against this backdrop, Turkey's planned naval deployment and the Somali government's reported reinforcements underscore the continuing security pressures facing Somalia, where counterinsurgency operations and internal political disputes are unfolding simultaneously.

Niger Imposes Overnight Fuel Sales Curfew Amid Nationwide Shortage

26/10 - 10:02

Niger

Niger’s government has announced an overnight curfew on the sale of petrol across the country, except at designated stations.

As of this week, they are not able to sell fuel between nine at night and six in the morning to enable suppliers, including the Nigerien Petroleum Company (Sonidep), to restock them.

It said this temporary measure aimed to improve the smooth running of operations while guaranteeing deliveries and the availability of petrol, following a countrywide shortage.

But the measure is impacting taxis drivers, like Moussa Idé Boubacar, who said he has not been able to make his payments for two days.

“Normally, we generate revenue of around 20,000 a day, of which 8,000 is for payments and 12,000 is for fuel. With this shortage, we’ve had some management issues,” he said.

As the fuel shortage spread, motorists have been facing increasingly long queues at stations.

Residents in the capital, Niamey, and elsewhere said this was disrupting daily life, making it difficult to get to work and carry out their daily activities.

The taxi union, Synctaxi, has called for the new curfew to be relaxed for operators who are struggling to make ends meet.

“To obtain fuel, you need authorisation. The petrol station must be open around the clock,” said it secretary-general, Ganda Sanda.

“We are appealing to the governorate and the governor as well to reconsider because it does not suit us,” he said.

Sanda added that the union wanted to draw the authorities’ attention to the fact that the transport sector “makes a significant contribution to the country’s development”.

In addition to the curfew, the sale of fuel in jerry cans outside stations has also been prohibited in all areas that have at least one petrol station.

The authorities have called on Nigeriens to show “understanding and civic-mindedness” saying the measures were aimed at improving supply.

Tanzania Announces First Major Gas Discovery in a Decade

Natural gas

Tanzania has announced its first natural gas discovery in a decade, with an estimated 223 billion cubic feet found at the Kasa-1X ST2 well in the Mnazi Bay area.

Energy Minister Juma Homera called the discovery a major milestone for the country’s oil and gas sector. Production is expected to begin early next month, boosting supplies for households, industry and vehicles.

The well is jointly owned by Tanzania’s state-run Petroleum Development Corporation and French energy company Maurel & Prom.

Natural gas already accounts for nearly 80 percent of Tanzania’s electricity generation. Authorities say the new discovery will help provide more reliable and affordable energy as demand grows.

Kenya Confirms Third Ebola Case as Health Ministry Says Public Risk Remains Low

Kenyan Ministry of Health officials check the temperature of travelers and disinfect their hands at the Busia One Stop Border Post (OSBP) on the Kenya-Uganda border as health authorities step up Ebola screening measures, in Busia on October 12, 2026. Kenya reported its first-ever Ebola death, the health minister announced on October 6, 2026, after a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo died after returning to the country. The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May. The deadly disease has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years. (Photo by Bright Emoja / AFP) Track Outbreaks

Addis Abeba – Kenya has confirmed its third #Ebola case, involving a 65-year-old woman who is a close relative of the country’s first two patients, the  health ministry said on Friday, as authorities continued efforts to trace and quarantine contacts.

According to AFP, the ministry said the woman had been in quarantine since 6 October after being identified as a primary contact of the two earlier cases. She developed symptoms, including fever, sore throat and malaise, and subsequently tested positive for the virus.

The ministry said the risk to the public remained low, adding that there was no evidence of community transmission. Of 130 identified contacts, 127 had been traced and placed in quarantine, while efforts continued to locate the remaining three.Get Health Tips

Kenya confirmed its second case on Wednesday, involving a 39-year-old relative of the first patient, who also tested positive while in quarantine.

The country's first confirmed Ebola patient was a 40-year-old Kenyan businessman who had been receiving treatment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He travelled overland to Uganda's capital, Kampala, before flying to Nairobi on 3 October. He was hospitalised in Nairobi and died on 5 October, according to Health Minister Aden Duale.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in May. Congolese health authorities have reported 9,066 infections and 4,381 deaths associated with the outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Neighbouring Uganda recorded 20 Ebola infections and two deaths during its outbreak, which was declared over in August. The latest cases mark Kenya's first reported Ebola infections.

DR Congo Ebola Cases Top 10,000 as Outbreak Tests Africa's Defenses

Xinhua

October 28, 2026

Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have surpassed 10,000, marking a grim milestone in what has become the world's second-largest recorded Ebola outbreak.

The latest figures released Tuesday by the country's health authorities showed that the country had recorded a total of 10,060 confirmed cases, including 4,887 deaths, as of Oct. 25, with the fatality rate at 48.6 percent.

Persistent transmission at epicenter

In the DRC, a brief decline in Ebola infections has given way to another rise.

A report released last Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa found that infections rebounded in early October after falling in late September, with recent epidemic evolution suggesting "renewed intensification of transmission."

According to DRC health authorities, the outbreak, which has become the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country, has spread to eight of the country's 26 provinces and 66 health zones, with the eastern province of Ituri remaining the epicenter, accounting for more than 70 percent of confirmed cases.

The outbreak has unfolded against the backdrop of a protracted armed conflict in eastern DRC, where years of violence and mass displacement have already strained an overstretched healthcare system.

The WHO warned that escalating insecurity, continued population displacement and restricted humanitarian access are further disrupting disease surveillance and response operations, raising the risk of infections going undetected.

Health authorities identified persistent weaknesses in early detection, contact tracing and access to treatment as major obstacles to controlling the outbreak.

Only about 12 percent of confirmed cases in the DRC have been identified among previously known contacts, indicating that some chains of transmission remain undetected, Wessam Mankoula, an official with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), warned at an online press briefing last Thursday.

Virus crossing borders

The difficulties in containing Ebola at its source have increasingly become a concern beyond the DRC. Since May, cases linked to the outbreak have been reported in Uganda, France, Kenya and Nigeria, extending the epidemic across three regions of Africa.

In Kenya, 20 contacts of the country's first imported Ebola patient were released from quarantine Monday after completing 21 days of monitoring without developing symptoms. The initial patient, a Kenyan national who had been living in the DRC, traveled to Nairobi via Uganda and died on Oct. 5.

Kenya has since recorded eight additional cases, all linked to the imported patient and detected among people already in quarantine. As of Monday, the country had reported nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, with another 98 contacts remaining under monitoring.

Further afield in West Africa, Nigeria's first Ebola patient was medically evacuated to Switzerland on Monday and was in stable condition, according to Nigeria's Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate.

The index patient, who traveled from Uganda to Nigeria on Oct. 3, developed symptoms four days later and was confirmed infected on Oct. 20.

Nigeria currently has no confirmed Ebola patient within its borders, as 52 contacts remain under monitoring, said the WHO on Monday, stressing that the country has not been declared Ebola-free.

The source of the Nigerian patient's infection, however, remains unclear, prompting a joint investigation with Uganda.

Ugandan Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said on Sunday in a statement that authorities are working with Nigeria and international partners to review genomic sequencing findings and verify the patient's travel history, contacts and movements in Uganda and en route to Abuja.

Uganda, which recorded 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, before declaring its outbreak over in July, reaffirmed Sunday that it remained Ebola-free. On Friday, the country announced additional precautionary measures, including reinstating mandatory traveler locator forms, tightening border screening, and restricting transit for travelers with a history of travel to the DRC.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya on Sunday welcomed Uganda's continued vigilance and cooperation with Nigeria in investigating the source of its imported case, warning that the risk of further cross-border spread persists.

Race for vaccines

As health authorities struggle to interrupt transmission, scientists are seeking a longer-term weapon against the outbreak.

On Friday, the first participant received a dose of a candidate vaccine in Bunia, the capital of the DRC's hardest-hit Ituri, marking the launch of a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial known as Tumaini, or "hope" in Swahili.

The trial aims to evaluate whether candidate vaccines can safely and effectively protect people against the Bundibugyo virus, for which no vaccine has yet been licensed.

The first candidate being evaluated is Ervebo, a vaccine already approved against a different Ebola virus species. Preparations are underway to include two Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidates developed by Moderna and by the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India.

"If successful, this would be the first time we have clear evidence of vaccine efficacy against Bundibugyo virus," said Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program, describing the prospect as "a major advance" that could transform responses to current and future outbreaks. 

Research Organization IAVI Receives US Funding for Ebola Vaccine Development

Oct 28, 2026 | 8:04 AM

Oct 28 (Reuters) – IAVI, a biomedical research organization, said on Wednesday it was awarded $36 million under a US government contract ​worth up to $99 million to advance ‌development of its single-dose vaccine candidate against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Democratic Republic of Congo has ‌risen ​above 10,000, government data ⁠showed on Tuesday, making ⁠the Bundibugyo outbreak the country’s largest and deadliest.

Here are more details:

• The US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority award supports ​manufacturing of vaccine doses for clinical testing and outbreak response, including an early-stage ⁠trial

• It also supports development ⁠of an updated candidate targeting ​the variant behind the 2026 Bundibugyo outbreak

• There ​are currently no approved vaccines or specific ‌treatments for disease caused by Bundibugyo virus

• IAVI will partner with Hilleman Laboratories, SK bioscience, and IDT Biologika for development, manufacturing and ⁠vaccine production

• IAVI’s one-dose rVSV-based vaccine candidate has demonstrated protective efficacy in animal studies, the organization ⁠said

• Single-dose ‌vaccines may offer practical advantages during ⁠outbreaks by allowing rapid vaccination ​without ‌the logistical requirements of a multidose ​regimen

• Drugmaker ⁠Regeneron on Monday said it had extended its agreement with the US health authority to provide additional supply of its Ebola treatment

(Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Maju Samuel)

Africa’s ‘Unprecedented’ Ebola Outbreak Could Reach UK, Says Top Health Official

Jean Kaseya, of the Africa CDC, warns of the illness spreading like Covid unless more funding is secured to increase preparedness and possible treatment

Sarah Johnson

Wed 28 Oct 2026 05.37 EDT

The “unprecedented” spread of the Ebola outbreak means it could reach the UK and other countries, according to one of Africa’s top health officials.

As the current outbreak reached 10,000 cases, with almost 5,000 deaths, Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), compared the outbreak to the Covid pandemic, which first took hold in China before spreading to countries across the world, claiming millions of lives, and ravaging health systems and economies.

“We want all countries to know that they are not safe if they don’t take appropriate measures,” he said.

“Each country, not only in the African region, but all continents, must now increase the preparedness level and the possibility for treatment.

“It is the first time three African regions have been affected [by Ebola]. The geographic extension of this outbreak is unprecedented,” he said.

Kaseya said leaders around the world should realise that although the brunt of the health crisis is affecting Africa at the moment, the situation could change. “We shouldn’t forget that at the beginning of Covid, many countries said there was zero risk of being affected, but a few months later, they became the hotspot,” he said. “We don’t want to see the UK and other countries become the hotspot.”

This outbreak, the 17th in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Ebola was identified, was caused by the Bundibugyo virus and has become the largest and deadliest in the country’s history.

Ebola is a highly contagious, severe, and often fatal illness. It is spread through direct contact with body fluids such as the blood or vomit of infected people, or dead bodies, such as during funeral preparations.

On 15 May, DR Congo’s health ministry declared an outbreak in Ituri province, though sequencing shows it had begun in February. It has now spread to Kenya and Uganda in east Africa, while last week, in west Africa, Nigeria confirmed a case in the capital, Abuja, after a woman who arrived from Uganda tested positive for the virus.

France is the only non-African country to have confirmed a case of Ebola so far – a doctor who had returned from DR Congo – in June.

The Bundibugyo virus has no approved treatment, though vaccine trials are under way. The results should be available in three to six months, said Kaseya.

Of the total 10,091 cases, 10,060 have occurred in DR Congo, with 4,887 deaths. Two people have died in Uganda, and two in Kenya.

The response to the crisis has been hampered by inadequate protective equipment and unpaid health worker wages, leading to strikes. Conflict in DR Congo as well as mistrust towards officials in affected areas, misinformation and global aid cuts have further complicated the situation.

Kaseya will convene a meeting of African health ministers on Wednesday to urge greater cross-border cooperation. He wants governments to introduce screening and testing for people coming from affected regions at points of entry and exit.

“The main message to ministers is that they have to understand they could be affected, and we don’t want them to be surprised by what could happen,” he said.

At a meeting in November with African heads of state, Kaseya will call for a “corridor of peace” in conflict areas. “Currently, we have colleagues in Ituri who want to go and support the population, but they cannot because of insecurity,” he said. “I have to say to leaders, this outbreak is not for rebels, it’s not for the official army, it’s for everyone. Ebola can affect everyone … We need to come together to have a kind of agreement on how to protect each other.”

Kaseya called for a global effort to fund the response. He said governments had pledged $3bn (£2.3bn), but that more than $2bn was still outstanding. African countries had committed $120m, he said, while the rest is meant to come from international donors including the US, the UK and the EU.

“We need this money now,” he said. “We must understand that failure to provide funding now to African countries [will result in more being spent] because the outbreak will continue to move. If we have other countries affected we’ll be talking about trillions of dollars because it will require a lot of support to stop this outbreak.”

DR Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Tops 10,000 Cases as Authorities Race to Slow the Spread in African Countries

By CHINEDU ASADU and CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA

5:39 AM EDT, October 27, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The fast-moving Ebola outbreak in Congo has reached 10,000 confirmed cases, government data showed Tuesday, as health authorities race to slow the spread of the disease in multiple African countries.

It is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history and nearly half of the 10,060 confirmed to have the virus have died, according to data from Congo’s Ministry of Health. That also makes it the deadliest outbreak of the disease in the country’s history.

The outbreak declared in May is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Response teams are battling armed conflict, poor roads and violence from residents fueled by mistrust and misinformation. Those obstacles compound the challenge of persuading people to report symptoms and accept care in communities that have endured years of violence and repeated epidemics.

Compared to the West Africa Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 – history’s largest and deadliest with more than 28,000 cases, including over 11,000 deaths – this has had at least three times the number of cases and number of deaths in the time since it was declared.

It has spread farther across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak, reaching three regions with cases recorded in Kenya and Nigeria as well. It’s so far been recorded in five countries including Uganda and France, both of which have no active cases at the moment.

A recurring problem in the spread in Africa is what appears to be lax surveillance efforts as most of the first cases were confirmed long after people started showing symptoms or after traveling.

African health ministers are to hold a virtual summit on Wednesday to strengthen the continent’s collective response. “Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership,” Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, has said.

At least 2,600 patients have recovered from the disease in Congo, bringing rare moments of joy to affected communities. A viral video this week showed health workers in full protective gear dancing as the last two patients were discharged from a treatment center in Mongbwalu, Ituri province.

“The outbreak is far from over, but every life saved is worth celebrating,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the video.

80% of new cases in Congo are outside of monitored contacts

In Congo, the disease has spread to 66 health zones across eight provinces, from three zones when it was first declared in May. Responders have told The Associated Press that they’re seeing treatment centers in some of those health zones getting overwhelmed, people still skeptical and violent toward them, and health workers are regularly going on strike to protest delayed or unpaid wages.

“Some people still don’t seem to understand the seriousness of the situation even though they are directly exposed to the risk,” said Sephora Bgosi with the Ebola burial team in Ituri province, the epicenter. “Ebola disease is extremely dangerous and can be deadly,” said Bgosi.

About 80% of recorded cases are still coming from outside of monitored contacts, showing there are ongoing chains of transmission that health authorities are not aware of. At least 95% of recorded cases are supposed to be coming from known contacts for officials to say the outbreak has largely been brought under control, the Africa CDC has said.

At least half of deaths recorded are among people who have not been admitted to treatment centers, a sign that people are still not reporting symptoms at all in many areas.

In many zones, health workers are battling challenges ranging from basic needs such as adequate vehicles to complex ones like persuading families to release their relatives who are sick with the disease or who have died from it and need to be buried safely.

Last week at the Nia Nia health zone in Ituri province, some Ebola responders, including surveillance and community engagement officers, went on strike over unpaid bonuses owed since late August, a common trend across many affected localities.

More than five months since the outbreak was declared, health workers are still being attacked by angry villagers, including on Saturday when a nurse was killed and another health worker severely injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Bafwasende, Tshopo province.

The outbreak is impacting Congo’s healthcare services

The outbreak has disrupted essential health services that are already underfunded and overstretched and has shifted attention away from other disease outbreaks the country is battling, such as cholera.

More pregnant women are dying as they avoid hospitals over fear of infection and isolation, causing maternal mortality to double in some provinces soon after the outbreak was declared.

It has also disrupted routine healthcare services such as childhood vaccinations, interrupted schooling for children where millions are already out of school, caused trauma and stigma for affected families and further stretched the livelihoods of many already struggling with hardship.

___

Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.

US Imposes Sanctions on Rwandan Defense Ministry Over Involvement in Eastern DR Congo Conflict

Rwandan president Paul Kagame speaks during an announcement that Formula 1 will return to Africa with a grand prix in the country starting early next decade, in Kigali, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo)

By MONIKA PRONCZUK

3:28 PM EDT, October 28, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions on Rwanda ‘s defense ministry on Wednesday over the country’s involvement in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where fighting continues between the Congolese government and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels despite peace efforts from the Trump administration.

The sanctions come after a U.S.-mediated peace agreement was signed late last year by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump.

Following the signing of the deal, Trump proudly announced: “Today, we’re succeeding where so many others have failed.” However, these efforts have so far had little impact on the situation on the ground, where fighting continues.

The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on the Rwandan ministry of defense, which it said “deployed thousands of troops across eastern DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces, where they conduct operations alongside M23 and provide the armed group with military equipment, supplies, logistical support, and training.”

Rwandan authorities have also “introduced advanced weaponry to the battlefield, including surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment, creating risks for civilian aviation in eastern DRC,” the statement added.

Rwanda’s government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press that “Rwanda remains ready to fully implement the Washington Accords, concurrently with the willingness of the DRC to fulfill those commitments, and with the mediator holding all parties accountable.” She said the commitments from the DRC “are wholly unmet, and with no accountability,” including the promise to neutralize forces.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. M23 took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, as well as other key cities in eastern Congo in a lightning assault last year.

Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing the M23. Rwanda’s government has consistently denied backing armed groups in Congo, though U.N. experts have said they found evidence that Rwandan troops have fought alongside and directed M23.

“Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on social media on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the U.S. also announced sanctions on Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a Rwandan financial institution which it said has “played a key role in facilitating Rwanda’s support” to M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance.

Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defense Forces and four of its senior officials for supporting M23.

The U.N. has called the conflict in eastern Congo “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.”

Russia-Africa Trade Exceeds $27 Billion as Moscow Hosts Summit

By Al Mayadeen English

27 Oct 2026 20:57

Russia-Africa trade exceeded $27 billion in 2025 as Moscow prepares to host 48 African countries for a summit on trade, investment, agriculture, and energy.

Trade between Russia and African countries exceeded $27 billion in 2025, with Russian exports of grain and fertilizers to the continent continuing to rise, as Moscow prepares to host the third Russia-Africa Summit with representatives from 48 African countries.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Monday that economic cooperation between Russia and Africa was steadily expanding, highlighting agriculture and food security as key areas of partnership.

According to Russia's TASS news agency, Ushakov said Russian exports of mineral fertilizers to African countries reached 1.5 million tons in 2025 and exceeded 2.2 million tons in 2026 so far.

Russia also exported more than 18 million tons of grain to Africa last year, followed by an additional 13 million tons during the first nine months of 2026, Ushakov added.

Moscow to host third Russia-Africa Summit

Moscow is set to host the third Russia-Africa Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, with representatives from 48 African countries expected to attend, including 22 represented by their heads of state, according to Ushakov.

Putin is scheduled to participate in the summit, which will address ways to expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation, alongside discussions on energy, agriculture, security, and technology.

The meetings are also expected to produce a series of bilateral agreements and include talks between Putin and several African leaders on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation across various sectors.

The upcoming summit follows previous Russia-Africa gatherings in Sochi in 2019 and St. Petersburg in 2023, as Moscow seeks to deepen its political and economic ties with countries across the continent.

Russia expands diplomatic presence across Africa

Ushakov said Russia had expanded its diplomatic presence in Africa since 2022, opening three embassies in South Sudan, Gambia, and Comoros while resuming the operations of five diplomatic missions in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

He also highlighted continued coordination with African countries in international forums, particularly the United Nations, on issues including counterterrorism, drug trafficking, and cybercrime.

Moscow is seeking to strengthen partnerships across Africa in trade, energy, infrastructure, and security, alongside its efforts to expand diplomatic representation on the continent.

Forecasting a 28% rise in global gas demand by 2055

Separately, Ushakov highlighted the importance of cooperation among natural gas-exporting countries, citing projections that global gas demand will increase by 28% by 2055.

Global demand is expected to rise from approximately 4.2 trillion cubic meters to 5.4 trillion cubic meters, he said, underscoring the need for increased investment and stable supplies.

Ushakov pointed to growing challenges facing the global gas industry, including tensions in the Middle East, attacks on Russia's Nord Stream pipelines, and Western restrictions on the purchase of gas, equipment, and technology.

He called for a platform for professional dialogue free from political disputes, identifying the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) as a suitable framework for coordination among producers.

Ushakov also noted that Russia holds the world's largest proven natural gas reserves and ranks second globally in production, describing supply stability as essential to meeting rising global demand.

Moscow hosts Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit

Moscow is hosting the eighth summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum on Tuesday, bringing together representatives of member and observer countries to discuss developments in energy markets and challenges facing the global gas industry.

The summit is expected to issue the Moscow Declaration, which is set to address the role of natural gas in global energy security, market stability, and cooperation among producers in technology and investment.

The Russia-Africa Summit and the gas forum are taking place in the same week as Moscow pursues efforts to expand its international partnerships and cooperation in trade, food security, and energy.

Al-Shabaab Ambush Leaves Heavy Losses as Somalia Claims 75 Killed

By Al Mayadeen English

27 Oct 2026 21:35

Somalia's Defense Ministry says more than 75 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed in Bay region clashes as military operations against the group continue.

Somali government forces and Al-Shabaab fighters suffered heavy casualties during intense fighting near Leego in southern Somalia on Monday, with both sides issuing sharply conflicting accounts of the battle.

Somalia’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that its forces had killed more than 75 Al-Shabaab fighters and wounded 56 others during hours of fighting in the Jameeca area, near Burhakaba in the southwestern Bay region.

The clashes erupted as Somali troops conducting Operation Banooda advanced along the strategic Mogadishu–Baidoa highway, where Al-Shabaab fighters launched a major ambush against government forces and their military vehicles.

According to the ministry, troops repelled the attack and protected a military supply convoy. It acknowledged that Al-Shabaab had deployed explosives-laden vehicles and damaged military equipment but did not disclose casualties among government forces. 

Al-Shabaab claims 321 killed in major ambush

Al-Shabaab, meanwhile, claimed to have killed 321 Somali government soldiers and allied fighters during a three-hour ambush targeting Turkish-trained troops near Leego on October 26.

According to AFP, citing a statement monitored by SITE Intelligence Group, the armed group also claimed to have captured prisoners and seized weapons and military vehicles during the assault. Neither its casualty figures nor the government's claims could be independently verified. 

However, accounts from Somali soldiers suggest that government forces sustained substantial losses. Two soldiers told Reuters that dozens of troops were killed in the fighting. One soldier said he had helped transport 40 dead soldiers and more than 100 wounded to hospitals in Mogadishu, while another reported that explosives-laden vehicles had destroyed five military vehicles.

Local outlet Garowe Online separately reported that government forces had lost as many as 36 military vehicles, including six Turkish-made Kirpi armored vehicles, although these figures remain unverified. The outlet also reported that several military officers were missing following the clashes. 

Since July, the Somali army has intensified operations against Al-Shabaab with support from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and other international partners. In December 2025, the United Nations Security Council renewed AUSSOM’s mandate, extending its authorization through December 31, 2026.

Somalia's campaign against al-Shabab intensifies

Heavy fighting erupted in Baidoa on August 17, 2026, between federal troops and forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Somalia’s Defense Ministry said federal forces killed about 30 attackers after an assault involving explosives-laden vehicles.

The African Union subsequently authorized the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to join federal forces in operations against Al-Shabaab and armed groups the mission considered affiliated with the group in South West State. The decision, announced on August 21, 2026, followed a request from Somalia’s federal government amid growing violence around Baidoa. The AU also instructed AUSSOM to remain politically neutral and avoid involvement in Somalia’s internal political disputes.

US military involvement has also continued. On September 5, 2026, US Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab near Quumbi, about 75 kilometers northwest of Kismayo, in coordination with Somalia’s federal government and Somali armed forces. AFRICOM said the strike was intended to degrade the group’s ability to threaten US forces and US citizens abroad, but did not provide further operational details.

Earlier, on July 1, 2026, the United States informed the African Union that it would not support continued UN logistical and operational assistance for AUSSOM beyond the end of 2026. The decision raised concerns about the mission’s ability to sustain its nearly 12,000 personnel, as AUSSOM relies on UN support for supplies, medical services, fuel and troop transportation. The United States said Somalia had not yet demonstrated that it could independently sustain security gains against Al-Shabaab.

American Rapper Macklemore Vows to Fight for Palestine Until ‘Last Breath‘

Macklemore vows to fight for Palestine until his ‘last breath’ at the opening of Free Palestine tour in Dublin.

2026/10/27 11:03 - UTC

Brendan Yates of Turnstile holds up a Palestinian flag as Turnstile performs at the Washington Monument on October 24, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

American rapper Macklemore has vowed to fight for Palestine until his “last breath,” following his fallout with English singer Ed Sheeran over his support for Palestinians.

Speaking during the opening of his Free Palestine tour in Dublin on Tuesday, Macklemore declared that he is proud to stand with the Palestinian people.

While waving a Palestinian flag, he said he would continue to fight for “collective liberation” until his “last breath.”

Fans came to the concert from all over the country, wearing pro-Palestinian T-shirts, hats featuring Palestinian flags, and keffiyeh scarves, a symbol of Palestinian identity. They chanted “Free, free Palestine” throughout the show.

Tickets for his concert sold out quickly, with 13,000 tickets for Dublin’s 3Arena snapped up within minutes. Macklemore has pledged to donate the proceeds from his tour to organizations supporting Palestinians.

The three-city tour comes after his removal from Ed Sheeran’s concerts following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks.

The fallout between the two singers began when Macklemore, performing as the opening act for Sheeran at a concert in New Jersey in September, said he wanted to say two words that are “very dear” to him, which were “Free Palestine.”

“Those two words are so threatening to some people that we’d rather silence those two words than confront what they actually mean... Somehow those words have become more controversial than the suffering that made them necessary,” he said on stage during the Free Palestine tour.

The tour also included other pro-Palestinian singers and bands, and it will continue in Paris and London this week. A US tour is also planned, with dates to be announced later.

Macklemore has repeatedly censured Israel over its genocide against Palestinians. In May 2024, he released “Hind’s Hall,” a protest song honoring Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Since the Israeli regime’s genocidal war began against the Palestinians in October 2023, more than 74,000 people have been killed by the regime. UN Commission of Inquiry stated recently that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories.