Last week in Africa, the Libyan National Army targeted Islamic State militants in Sabha; Al Shabaab militants killed a minister with the Hirshabelle regional government in Somalia; and election-related violence was reported in Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. In Libya, Libyan National Army (LNA) forces killed multiple Islamic State (IS) militants, including foreign…
Last week in Africa, Islamic State-affiliated militants clashed with state forces in Tunisia and Morocco; dozens were killed during intercommunal violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Malian military junta announced a timeline for a return to civilian rule, amid escalating tension with supporters of the Movement of June 5 – Rally of…
During the last five weeks in Africa, the Malian government was overthrown in a military coup; election-related violence was reported in the Ivory Coast, Uganda, and the Central African Republic; and a ceasefire was declared in Libya. In Mali, national guards conducted a military coup on 18 August, and arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Prime…
In Africa last week, suspected Katiba Macina militants carried out the first jihadi attack in Ivory Coast since 2016; residents of Tripoli continued to face the threat of landmines in Libya; and Boko Haram launched multiple large-scale attacks on civilian populations in northeast Nigeria. In Libya, multiple landmine explosions were reported in the capital Tripoli.…
Last week in Africa, the head of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was killed in a French military operation in northern Mali; Khalifa Haftar supported a ceasefire after his Libyan National Army (LNA) forces withdrew from Libya’s capital Tripoli; and Congolese military forces (FARDC) regained territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri…
During the previous fortnight in Africa, the Government of National Accord (GNA) made key gains in the west of Libya, further frustrating the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Tripoli offensive; the Allied Defence Force (ADF) consolidated recent moves outside their traditional area of operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s northeast; and Al Shabaab assassinated a…
Last week in Africa, demonstration activity rose to its highest levels since mid-March amid an easing of coronavirus restrictions in some countries; escalating inter-jihadi conflict in the Sahel became further entrenched; and overtures of peace were made in one of the most violent insurgencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Demonstrations in Tunisia rose to…
On 23 March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a global coronavirus ceasefire (UN News, 23 March 2019). The truce would allow pandemic responses to be carried out in areas that are usually too dangerous for medical personnel to access due to ongoing conflict, and could also create opportunities for negotiations between belligerents. Unfortunately, the…
In Africa last week, coronavirus fears prompted a fatal prison riot in Sierra Leone; Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khalifa Haftar claimed that his military had a popular mandate to rule Libya; and the Central African Republic was hit by worsening ethnic violence amongst ex-Seleka armed groups. In Libya, LNA leader Haftar began the week…
ACLED Research Analyst Melissa Pavlik explores the pandemic’s impact on levels of organized political violence around the world. This infographic is part of our special CDT Spotlight series. © 2020 Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). All rights reserved.