Thus far, 2020 has been the deadliest year on record in Mali. A downward spiraling trend has been observed since 2016, following the spread of violence to central Mali amid the emergence of Katiba Macina. In 2017, Katiba Macina was subsumed by the creation of the Al Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which gathered…
Last week in Africa, the worsening conflict in Ethiopia spilled into neighboring Eritrea; a longstanding ceasefire was breached in the disputed Western Sahara; and French forces killed a senior Al Qaeda-affiliated militant in Mali. The conflict between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian federal forces continued to worsen in Ethiopia, spilling into neighboring…
Last week in Africa, fighting between Ethiopian federal forces and Tigrayan forces prompted fears of a civil war in Ethiopia; Al Shabaab launched a series of assassination attempts targeting government figures in Somalia; and opposition parties launched an alternate administration in response to the re-election of President Alassane Ouattara in the Ivory Coast. In Ethiopia,…
Last week in Africa, anti-French demonstrations were reported in several countries; electoral violence proliferated in the Ivory Coast and the Zanzibar autonomous region of Tanzania; and Allied Democratic Forces militants launched deadly attacks on civilian populations in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Anti-French demonstrations were held in the Muslim majority countries…
Last week in Africa, demonstrations against police brutality continued to gain traction in Nigeria; ongoing election-related demonstrations and violence were reported in Guinea and the Ivory Coast; and an Al Shabaab ambush resulted in Somalia’s deadliest clash of the year. In Nigeria, #EndSARS demonstrations against police brutality have continued to grow across the country. Several…
Last week in Africa, clashes were reported between rival Islamist groups across the Sahel; demonstrators commemorated the October 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations in Algeria; and violent demonstrations erupted in eastern Sudan over the recently signed Juba peace agreement. Rival Islamist groups engaged in multiple clashed across the Sahelian countries of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. More…
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…
The COVID-19 pandemic compounds existing vulnerabilities faced by humanitarian aid workers assisting communities in conflict-affected regions around the world. To mark World Humanitarian Day 2020, ACLED Research Analyst Curtis Goos maps political violence targeting aid workers across our coverage areas. ACLED coverage of violence targeting aid workers is enhanced by partner data from the Aid…
In our special report on 10 conflicts to worry about at the start of 2020, ACLED identified a range of flashpoints and emerging crises where violent political disorder was likely to evolve and worsen over the course of the year: the Sahel, Mexico, Yemen, India, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and the United States. Our…