Africa

What are the Potential Costs of a U.S. Drawdown in Somalia?

On December 4, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the majority of the 700 troops currently stationed in Somalia. Subsequently, just this week, the Pentagon informed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that it planned to end support to the agency’s counterterrorism missions in early 2021.

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Boko Haram Massacre Indicates Frailty in Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency Strategy

At the end of November, the Boko Haram faction, led by the ruthless Abubakar Shekau, massacred farmers in the village of Koshebe, resulting in the deaths of at least 110 civilians. While the village was mostly deserted as a result of the war between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army, …

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Blunt Dealmaking in Morocco Highlights U.S. Disregard for African Affairs

Too often, the Trump Administration’s engagement with Africa has been characterized by insults and neglect. In their final days in office, Administration officials have doubled down on that posture, treating relations with the African Union and its member states as an irrelevant detail in their zeal to find quick wins …

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France won’t condition weapons sales to Egypt on human rights, Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron also said he spoke “frankly” about human rights with his Egyptian counterpart. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will continue selling arms to Egypt despite calls to curb weapons sales in light of the Egyptian government’s poor human rights record.

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Eastern Libyan forces intercept Turkish ship en route to Misrata

Forces loyal to eastern Libyan strongman Khalifa Hifter intercepted a Jamaican-flagged Turkish ship in the Mediterranean Sea late Monday in a move that could escalate regional tensions. A Turkish ship sailing under a Jamaican flag was intercepted by forces loyal to eastern Libyan leader Khalifa Hifter late Monday for reportedly …

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The Polisario Front Asks the African Union To Sanction Morocco

SADR President Brahim Ghali insisted that Moroccan troops unleashed the war when they entered the Guerguerat demilitarized on Nov. 14. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) President and Polisario Front Secretary, Brahim Ghali, called on the African Union (AU) to apply sanctions to Morocco for its occupation of Western Sahara …

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