Nestled in the vast semi-arid savanna of Dabel in northern Kenya, near the border with Ethiopia, lies the makeshift shanty mining town of Illo. The settlement sprang up in six short months starting in January
Somalia’s Stalled Offensive Against al-Shabaab: Taking Stock of Obstacles
Abstract: A year and five months after the Somali government launched its offensive against al-Shabaab, the initial optimism that characterized its first few months have diminished as the counterinsurgency’s momentum has stalled in the central
Countering Coups: How to Reverse Military Rule Across the Sahel
Patterns in the Sahel’s coups provide guidelines to building effective democracies. Three years of coups around Africa’s Sahel region — eight of them in six nations, from Guinea on the Atlantic to Sudan on the
Senior Study Group for the Sahel: Final Report and Recommendations
Executive Summary The United States has not traditionally viewed the Sahel as a region of vital interest, whether in terms of security or from an economic or business perspective. This has led to a pattern
For Peace in Sahel, African and U.S. Experts Urge Focused Partnership
The past month has sharpened a decade-old question for U.S. and international policymakers: How best, in 2024, to help stabilize what is now the world’s largest single zone of military rule and violent conflicts —
Somalia Approves Defense Agreement With Turkey
Somalia’s executive and legislative branches have approved a crucial 10-year defense and economic cooperation agreement with Turkey, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced. Following a meeting in Mogadishu, Somalia’s Cabinet approved the “Defense and Economic
Burkina Faso: Arming Civilians at the Cost of Social Cohesion?
President Ibrahim Traoré has reinforced the role of Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDPs) in Burkina Faso’s fight with jihadists. While VDP militias help secure national territory, their actions also fuel violence. With
A Somalian Defense Committee Member Put An Anti-Russian Spin On The Turkish Security Deal
Somalia’s motivations don’t automatically translate into action, however, but reflect wishful thinking on its leadership’s part. They also explain to Somalians why their country is giving Turkiye maritime security rights and 30% of the revenue
Sudan conflict spilling to South Sudan, UN official warns
The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom said the war in Sudan has spilled over to South Sudan. Speaking to reporters in Juba on Tuesday, Haysom said there are
Nigeria’s defense chief accuses nations withholding arms sales over abuses of ‘double standards’
Nigeria’s defense chief expressed frustration Tuesday with what he called the “double standards” of some countries that won’t sell his military weapons because of human rights concerns. Gen. Christopher Musa’s comment underscores one of the