Regional Overview: Africa19-25 June 2021

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July 1, 2021

Last week in Africa, Islamist militants continued their attacks in the central Sahel region; deadly clashes involving communal and ethnic militia were reported in Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan; and Al Shabaab militants carried out deadly attacks in Somalia and Kenya.

Suspected Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) militants activity continued in the central Sahel. In Burkina Faso, police forces suffered a deadly attack from JNIM fighters with 11 officers killed and others missing near the village of Bilibalogo in the Central North region. Two soldiers were also killed during a search operation days later in an IED explosion likely planted by JNIM militants. In Mali, a JNIM militant carried out a suicide attack targeting French Barkhane forces in Gossi of Tombouctou region. A suicide car bomb attack, likely perpetrated by JNIM-affiliated Al-Mourabitoune fighters, also struck a temporary base of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) near the village of In-Ichagara in Gao. Meanwhile, presumed JNIM militants simultaneously attacked two Malian army positions in Boni in the Mopti region, killing and wounding several soldiers. Elsewhere in Mopti, clashes between Dogon militia and suspected Katiba Macina fighters resulted in at least 6 fatalities. Several Nigerien soldiers were also killed when their vehicle struck an IED likely planted by JNIM militants in the Tillaberi region of Niger. Meanwhile, suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Greater Sahara faction fighters continued their attacks against civilians in Tillaberi, including an attack killing 19 people in the village of Danga Zaouni.

In Nigeria, numerous clashes broke out between military forces and ISWAP Lake Chad faction fighters in Borno State, resulting in dozens of militant fatalities. Moreover, dozens were reported dead in clashes between state forces and communal militia in Niger, Benue, and Kaduna states.

In the Central African Republic, mercenaries from the Wagner group continued their attacks against civilians. At least a dozen people were killed in an attack in the Haute- Kotto prefecture while another deadly attack targeted the Fulani mayor of the Pombolo village in Mbomou.

1/2 In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) clashed against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Irumu territory of Ituri province, killing two militants and releasing over 12 civilians from ADF captivity. Deadly fighting was also reported between the ADF and the Front for Patriotic Resistance of Ituri (FPIC) militants in the territory of Irumu, triggering community displacements. The same day, the ADF rebels launched an attack against a vehicle carrying a group of internally displaced people and killed all four of them. In Djugu territory, the Cooperative for Development of Congo (CODECO) attacked the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) base in a reported attempt to target civilians seeking refuge.

In Somalia, multiple deadly clashes were reported between security forces and Al Shabaab militants across the country, most notably in Central and Southern regions. In the Lower Shabelle region, Al Shabaab fighters took over Marin Gubay town following clashes with the Ugandan troops of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Elsewhere, they carried out a remote shelling attack against a Burundian AMISOM base in the Jowhar district of Middle Shabelle. Meanwhile, Somali military forces captured and destroyed around 14 Al Shabaab bases across the Middle Shabelle region with several militants killed during the operation. Al Shabaab militants also clashed with police forces in Mandera, Kwale, and Wajir counties of Kenya, killing several officers. Deadly attacks targeting civilians were also reported near Rhamu in Mandera.

In Sudan, large numbers of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Popular Defence Forces (PDF) attacked and clashed with local militia from the Kawahala ethnic group in Kologi town of South Kordofan province, leaving several dead and many wounded.

In the Lakes state of South Sudan, dozens were killed during clashes between Agar Dinka sections and members of the Gok Dinka clan at a cattle camp in Cueibet county. Deadly multi-day attacks were also reported in Tambura county in Western Equatoria state, causing thousands to flee their homes. Meanwhile in Eastern Equatoria state, intercommunal clashes left several dead in initial clashes and reprisal attacks.

A separate, weekly discussion of the ongoing conflict in Mozambique and Ethiopia can be found in the Cabo Ligado and Ethiopia Peace Observatory projects, respectively.

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