EXPLAINED: 47 - The Real Truth

Togo: Eight soldiers killed in attack by suspected ‘terrorists’

Security experts have warned that armed groups across the Sahel could spread operations to coastal states like Togo.

Al Jazeera · May 11, 2022

Media polarisation risks press freedom and peace in conflict-hit Mali and Ethiopia

When media rights are curtailed, fake news and posts on social platforms drive tension and violence, as the latest World Press Freedom Index starkly shows

The Guardian - UK · May 10, 2022

Analysis: Can Niger become the main Western ally in the Sahel?

Niamey has consistently presented an image of a friendly and reliable partner to the international community.

Al Jazeera · May 9, 2022

Pope gave green light to secret deal to free kidnapped nun, court told

Pope Francis approved a secret million-euro operation to free a Colombian nun who was held captive for more than four years by an Islamist militant group in Mali before she was released in 2021, a cardinal told a Vatican court on Thursday.

Reuters · May 5, 2022

Cardinal says Pope authorized €1M payment to free kidnapped nun

A cardinal has testified that Pope Francis authorized spending up to 1 million euros to free a Colombian nun kidnapped by al-Qaida-linked militants in Mali

The Independent UK · May 5, 2022

Enablers of political extremism: a checklist for West African countries

The Sahel – the region just south of the Sahara – is home to the world’s fastest growing extremist group, Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin or JNIM, and the most deadly group, Islamic State in West Africa, according to the 2022 Global Terrorism Index.

The Conversation · May 5, 2022

Togo agrees to mediate in Mali political crisis

Two coups in two years have precipitated a political crisis in Mali, where armed groups are also looking to grab power.

Al Jazeera · May 5, 2022

President of Togo to mediate in Mali crisis

The President of Togo has agreed to mediate in Mali, where the military junta is under international pressure to re-establish civilian rule after taking power in 2020.

Radio France Internationale · May 5, 2022

Mali nonuplets ‘in perfect health’ on their first birthday

Father of the children admits ‘it’s not easy’, but is happy to see ‘all the babies in perfect health’

The Independent UK · May 5, 2022

Wagner-linked Putin ally: ‘Dying west thinks Russians are third world scum’

Yevgeny Prigozhin accused of financing Wagner mercenary group responds to accusations of massacres in Mali

The Guardian - UK · May 4, 2022