Weekly reports on the latest conflict developments in Mozambique and Ethiopia are made available by the Cabo Ligado and Ethiopia Peace Observatory projects, respectively.
Last week in Africa, opposition movements demonstrated against the extension of General Mahamat Idriss Deby’s transitional presidency in Chad. In Sudan, ethnic violence reportedly left more than 200 people dead and displaced thousands more. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the March 23 Movement (M23) resumed activities, clashing with state forces and abducting civilians. Meanwhile, election violence continued in Nigeria, as a gubernatorial candidate survived an attack on a campaign convoy.
In Burkina Faso, Al Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) looted and destroyed health, education, mining, and government facilities in nine out of the country’s 13 administrative regions last week. Meanwhile, the Islamic State Sahel Province (IS Sahel) carried out a deadly attack on state forces and Volunteer for Defense of Homeland forces near the Silmangue area of the Centre-Nord region. In response to these attacks, military forces conducted several air raids on Islamist militant positions in the Sahel and Centre-Nord regions. In the Centre-Nord region, an airstrike resulted in at least 27 reported fatalities among fighters in Ankouna village. These trends contributed to the 211% increase in violent events in Centre-Nord last week relative to the weekly average for the preceding month flagged by ACLED’s Subnational Surge Tracker. The Subnational Tracker also warned of increased violence in Centre-Nord during the preceding four weeks.
In Mali, violence remained high in Gao, Mopti, and Segou regions as offensives involving Islamist militants continued last week. In the Gao region, IS Sahel engaged in a wave of cattle theft, kidnapped aid workers, and displaced residents in Gao and Ansongo circles. Meanwhile, presumed JNIM militants attacked a Coordination of Patriotic Movements and Forces for Resistance-1 checkpoint near Wabaria, reportedly killing seven militiamen. Suspected JNIM militants also carried out two IED attacks against the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali in the Kidal region; one of the explosions reportedly killed four peacekeepers. The Malian armed forces claimed to have killed and arrested dozens of fighters and destroyed bases in Gao, Mopti, and Segou regions in response to these attacks (Twitter @FAMa_DIRPA, 22 October 2022).
In Nigeria, military forces continued offensives against the Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram last week in Borno state. Scores of militants were reportedly killed during military operations in Bama Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, election-related violence continued last week, with clashes between political party supporters reported in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Ebonyi states. In Abakaliki town of Ebonyi state, a Labour Party gubernatorial candidate survived a suspected Ebube Agu Corps security operative attack on his campaign convoy. In the Zamfara state, the state government imposed a ban on political campaigns and meetings in response to increased electoral violence (Nigeria Punch, 14 October 2022). (For more on election-related violence in the run-up to the 25 February elections, see ACLED’s Nigeria Election Violence Tracker.)
In Chad, violence escalated last week as demonstrators — led by opposition groups including Wakit Tamma and the Transformers — took to the streets to denounce the extension of General Deby as Transitional Military Council president. Security forces clashed with demonstrators in NDjamena and Moundou city, resulting in at least 50 reported fatalities and hundreds of injuries. The demonstrations came on the day that Deby had been due to step down from the presidency, which he had assumed following the death of his father, former President Idriss Déby Itno, in 2021 (BBC News, 20 October 2022).
In Sudan, in Blue Nile state, more than 200 people were killed across two days of fighting between Ingessana and Hausa ethnic militias in the Wad Al Mahi locality last week. Authorities declared a state of emergency as a result of the clashes (Al Jazeera, 23 October 2022). Worsening violence in the region has been triggered by ongoing land disputes between the two groups (Al Jazeera, 23 October 2022).
Elsewhere, in West Kordofan, clashes continued between a Misseriya ethnic militia, allegedly backed by the military’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and a Nuba ethnic militia in Lagawa city last week. The fighting reportedly resulted in significant fatalities and led to the displacement of at least 36,000 people (Sudan Tribune, 20 October 2022). Following these clashes, Sudanese military forces and the RSF clashed with the Abdelaziz al-Hilu faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N-Abdelaziz) after the SPLM-N-Abdelaziz allegedly shelled villages in the area. The SPLM-N-Abdelaziz denied involvement in the shelling and accused the RSF of supporting Misseriya ethnic militia (Dabanga TV, 19 October 2022). These trends contributed to the 108% increase in violent events in Sudan last week relative to the weekly average for the preceding month. ACLED’s Early Warning tools have flagged the threat of increased violence in the country during this period.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, political violence increased in Nord-Kivu last week as M23 resumed activities for the first time since late September, clashing with security forces and abducting civilians in Rutshuru territory. In Masisi territory, the Mapenzi splinter faction of the Nduma Defence of Congo reportedly decapitated 12 civilians over two days last week. Meanwhile, in Beni territory, the Islamic State claimed an attack perpetrated by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in Maboya town. The rebels destroyed two health centers and other properties and reportedly killed several people.
In Somalia, government forces, supported by allied international forces and clan militias, increased offensives against Al Shabaab last week, regaining control of strongholds across Middle Shabelle region. Notwithstanding, Al Shabaab militants continued to target government forces and civilians last week. In Hiraan region, Al Shabaab claimed three consecutive explosive attacks in Jalalaqsi and Bulo Buro districts. In Jalalaqsi, the town’s administrative building and a bridge were hit, reportedly killing more than a dozen people, including a former district commissioner and the mayor of Jalalaqsi town.
Note: This dashboard automatically updates to cover the latest four weeks of data released by ACLED. Use the date filters to view data for the one-week period covered by this Regional Overview
