Earlier this week, several Angolan Catholic bishops denounced a “serious massacre” in Cafunfo, a city in northeastern Angola, in the Lunda region. According to reports shared on social media, Angolan forces fired on unarmed protesters who belonged to the Lunda Tchokwe Portuguese Protectorate Movement (MPPLT), causing 15 deaths and 10

The Central African Republic (CAR) has declared a state of emergency as the army and UN forces try to repel advancing rebel groups who want to overthrow the government. The anti-government fighters, who now control two-thirds of the country, have surrounded the capital, Bangui. The UN envoy to CAR has

Across Algeria, a growing number of attacks, arrests and weapons have come to light, indicating a possible resurgence in jihadist activity in the country; a chapter from the 1990s that many hoped would stay closed. At dawn on 14 January, a group of hunters from the town of Bir El

Sudan’s Government Still Failing to Protect Darfuri Civilians ns in west Darfur were the Sudanese government’s first big test of its readiness and ability to protect Darfuri civilians. It failed miserably. No one should be surprised. On December 22, the United Nations Security Council unanimously decided to terminate the mandate

“Morocco has seriously undermined not only the ceasefire and related military agreements but also an opportunity for a peaceful solution.” The president of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and leader of the Polisario Front, Brahim Gali, published a presidential decree this Saturday announcing the end of the commitment

Four Somali soldiers were killed and a U.S. service member was injured Monday in an al-Shabab attack on an outpost 60 kilometers west of the Somali port town of Kismayo.   A senior leader in the Jubaland regional administration told VOA Somali that the soldiers died when a vehicle-borne explosive

Botswana, one of Africa’s most stable countries, is the continent’s longest continuous multi-party democracy. It is relatively free of corruption and has a good human rights record. Sparsely populated, Botswana protects some of Africa’s largest areas of wilderness. Safari-based tourism – tightly-controlled and often upmarket – is an important source

Gaborone – Laboratory tests to determine the cause of death of more than 281 elephants in the Okavango panhandle in northern Botswana increasingly point to poisoning. The Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Ministry this week suggested the possibility of naturally occurring toxins being behind the mass deaths. “Results received so far

Lusaka – Zambia is exploring the possibility of domestically selling its US$100 million ivory stockpile. Last year, Zambia joined six other Southern African states in petitioning the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to be allowed to reduce ivory stockpiles. CITES bars the trade in ivory

The Mozambique military is fighting to regain control of the key Port of Mocimboa da Praia, following multiple reports that it fell to Islamist militants on Wednesday. At the same time, Tanzania has said it will launch operations against the jihadists along the border with Mozambique. SADC Heads of State

Zambia, unlike most of its neighbours, has managed to avoid the war and upheaval that has marked much of Africa’s post-colonial history, earning itself a reputation for political stability. The landlocked country has experienced rapid economic growth over the last decade as Africa’s second largest copper producer after the DR