Eye on Africa

Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Libyan Military Leaders The Libyan military and nation are mourning the loss of key figures after a plane crash near Ankara, Turkey, claimed the lives of Army Chief of Staff Mohammed al-Haddad and four senior military officers. Mohammed al-Haddad, chief of general staff, was among the victims. The crash involved a Falcon 50 jet traveling from Ankara to Tripoli. Libya's leadership expresses deep condolences for the families and the armed forces. A Nation in Mourning Libya's…

U.S. surveillance flights over Nigeria have ramped up since late November, signaling a sharp uptick in security cooperation as Washington presses Abuja to curb mounting violence, including attacks on Christian communities. Flight-tracking data and current and former U.S. officials confirm contractor-operated missions flying near daily from Accra, Ghana, across Nigerian airspace and back. It was not immediately clear what specific intelligence the aircraft are collecting. A current U.S. official confirmed the flights but…

Kenya has repatriated 119 citizens who were trapped in online fraud syndicates in Myanmar, with nearly 200 more still awaiting evacuation across Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said Monday. In a statement, the department said 198 Kenyans remain in the pipeline for repatriation. That group includes 66 in Thailand’s immigration detention center, 129 in shelters in Myanmar, and three in a Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia, where Kenya’s Embassy has established contact. The…

America’s forever wars didn’t end. They receded from view — and risk roaring back. While Washington fixates on China, Iran and Russia, U.S. troops are still fighting, striking and being targeted from the Middle East to the Horn of Africa and the Caribbean corridor. The missions are smaller and quieter than the wars that defined the post‑9/11 era. They are also open‑ended, conducted under authorizations Congress passed more than two decades ago — long after most Americans stopped paying attention. The footprint shrank, not…

Somalia, Türkiye sign fisheries pact to curb illegal fishing and spur jobs Somalia has welcomed a new “Strategic Cooperation and Service Agreement” with Türkiye that sets up a joint licensing and enforcement framework for the country’s vast waters, aiming to protect marine resources, expand the blue economy and create jobs. Somali Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy Ahmed Hassan Aden said the agreement, signed Dec. 17 with Türkiye’s OYAK group, will institutionalize economic cooperation and anchor a long-term…

Sudan's Peace Proposal and the Ongoing Conflict Sudan's Prime Minister has proposed a comprehensive peace plan aimed at resolving the long-standing war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This initiative seeks international support to halt the violence and begin reconciliation. Kamil Idris introduced a cease-fire monitored by international bodies. The plan requires RSF withdrawal and disarmament. U.S. and mediators support a humanitarian truce. Political and International Reactions The response…

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Heirs Energies Limited have announced a landmark US$750 million financing partnership designed to optimize Heirs Energy's capital structure and unlock critical liquidity to support its working capital requirements as it pursues its ambitious field development program. The investment is expected to significantly transform Nigeria's domestic energy capacity as demand rises. This collaboration comes at a crucial time for Nigeria, a nation grappling with increased energy demands and…

U.S. Diplomatic Recall Impacts Relations with Africa Amid Trump Administration's Policies In a sweeping diplomatic maneuver, the Trump administration has recalled dozens of U.S. diplomats from posts around the world, with significant ramifications for relationships in Africa. Among the envoys affected are diplomats from 13 African nations, including key countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, and Senegal. This directive mandates that these ambassadors vacate their posts by mid-January 2026, a move that raises eyebrows amid…

MOGADISHU — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo warned that Somalia is sliding into a deeper crisis, citing deteriorating security, political, economic and social conditions, and urging national dialogue and unity to avert further instability. In a statement issued Monday, Farmaajo said the country faces “serious security challenges,” accusing the current government of failing to adequately counter the threat posed by terrorist groups. He warned that fragmentation within the national army has weakened the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Kenyan doctor who says he was working on a United Nations medical evacuation team in Somalia has appeared in a video appealing to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Kenyan President William Ruto, saying he and colleagues have been held by al-Shabab for more than a year and a half following a helicopter crash. The man, identifying himself as Dr. Ambrose Kimiti, says the aircraft carrying the medical team crash-landed on Jan. 10, 2024, in territory controlled by al-Shabab while on an official…