North Africa

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Reported Dead Amid Conflicting Accounts Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the 53-year-old son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has reportedly been shot dead at his home in Zintan. Khaled al-Zaidi, his lawyer, stated that a four-man commando unit carried out the assassination, although the identities of those behind the attack remain unclear. Meanwhile, a conflicting account from Saif's sister suggests he met his end near the Algerian border. Once considered the most prominent and feared figure in Libya…

Assessing the Destruction of El-Fasher El-Fasher has been devastated and mostly evacuated following its seizure by the Rapid Support Forces. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) recently conducted a limited assessment of the city's status. The city was overtaken after months of siege by the RSF. MSF's findings highlight massive destruction and depopulation. The visit marked MSF's first entry since suspending operations in August 2024. A Ghost Town MSF described El-Fasher as resembling a ghost town, with only a few…

Escalating Crisis in Sudan's Kordofan Region The United Nations has issued a warning regarding the deteriorating situation in Sudan's Kordofan region. Recent conflicts have forced over 88,000 individuals to flee, as humanitarian access remains limited. The urgency of the situation demands international attention and aid. Over 88,000 people displaced since late October. Severe restrictions on humanitarian access exacerbate conditions. Critical shortages of food, healthcare, and basic services persist.…

Frank W. Garcia Jr. Nominated to Lead Africa Bureau at State Department Frank W. Garcia Jr., a veteran Republican Congressional aide, has been nominated by President Trump to head the Africa Bureau at the State Department. Garcia, whose nomination for the position of Assistant Secretary for Africa was submitted to the Senate on January 29, is currently serving as a senior advisor to the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation, a process…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali and Egyptian authorities on Saturday rejected social media reports claiming Somali passports had been suspended for travel to Egypt, saying flights and immigration procedures remain unchanged and Somali travelers are being processed as usual in Cairo. EgyptAir, Egypt’s national carrier, said there has been no “suspension or restriction on the acceptance of Somali passports” and emphasized that “Somali passengers holding valid travel documents and the required entry permits can continue to travel…

Egypt takes helm of AU Peace and Security Council, puts Sudan and Somalia atop agenda CAIRO — Egypt on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, pledging to focus its one-month term on the crises in Sudan and Somalia while advancing a broader agenda linking peace, security and governance across the continent. The presidency, which began Feb. 1, comes amid what Cairo described as escalating and overlapping challenges in Africa — from protracted armed conflicts and fragile…

Jigjiga, Ethiopia (AX) — The leaders of Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti on Saturday jointly inaugurated Shabeely Resort, a 385-hectare tourism and development project in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, positioning it as a flagship for regional integration and economic cooperation in the Horn of Africa. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh presided over the ceremony, which Ethiopian officials framed as a catalytic moment for cross-border tourism, trade…

Mohamed Salah’s first goal since November arrived with emphatic timing, capping a restorative week for the Egypt star and sealing Liverpool’s direct passage to the Champions League round of 16. Salah curled in a 50th-minute free kick to make it 3-0 in a 6-0 rout of Qarabag at Anfield on Wednesday, a result that locked Arne Slot’s side into third place in the new 36-team league phase. The margin mattered. Under UEFA’s revamped Champions League format, finishing in the top eight secures a bye to the last 16 and avoids the…

CAF on Thursday announced a string of suspensions and fines against players, coaches and federations after an investigation into the chaotic scenes that marred the AFCON 2025 final in Morocco, and dismissed a Moroccan challenge to the result. The Confederation of African Football’s Disciplinary Board said it had penalized both Senegal and Morocco following a stoppage-time penalty award that provoked protests and a walk-off by the Senegalese team. Head coach Pape Thiaw was hit with a five-match suspension from all CAF…

Somalia hosts Horn of Africa finance ministers in Mogadishu, with energy trade at center of agenda MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday closed the 27th Horn of Africa Initiative Forum of finance ministers, the first time the high-level regional meeting has been held in Mogadishu, in a session that put regional energy trade at the heart of economic integration efforts. Officials said convening the forum in the Somali capital signaled growing international confidence in Somalia’s security and…