Resource-Related Conflict in Africa

Africa, Civilians At Risk, Local-Level Violence, Political Stability, Resources, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Natural resource extraction by mining (including oil, diamonds, copper, and cobalt) has tremendous positive economic potential for states. However, these resources can also do more harm than good if used towards ulterior motives including corruption, the unequal distribution of wealth, and to fuel violence.…

The Escalation of Political Violence in Libya

Africa, Analysis, Civilians At Risk, Current Hotspots, Focus On Militias, Pro-Government Militias, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
Since June 2014, Libya has been the fourth most volatile country in the ACLED African dataset with 534 reported conflict events. Political violence continued to escalate throughout the month of October (see Figure 1)with September recording the highest fatalities – and over double those reported since the beginning of the renewed post-civil war violence.…

Education and Political Conflict Part 2: Non-State Actor Strategies – A Focus on Boko Haram & Al Shabaab Conflict Dynamics

Al Shabaab, Boko Haram, Civilians At Risk, Education, Focus On Militias, Violence Against Civilians
In February 2012, Boko Haram members burned down three schools in the town of Maiduguri in north-eastern Nigeria. The group claimed that the attack was provoked by indiscriminate student arrests in Islamic schools by state forces (IRIN, 4 October 2013).…

A comparison of violence against civilians between US-backed African regimes and Africa’s ‘pariah states’

Africa, Al Shabaab, Civilians At Risk, Current Hotspots, Ethnic Militias, Focus On Militias, Human Rights, Musveni Regime, Pro-Government Militias, Rioting And Protests, Violence Against Civilians
The three day US Africa Leaders Summit, which ended last week, has faced criticism for leaving the issue of human rights largely off the agenda (McGreal, 13 August 2014; Friedman, 7 August 2014).…