Published on: 01/05/2026 - 11:12

• In Mali, the Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the jihadists of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, led intense fighting, Saturday April 25 and Sunday April 26, in the cities of Kidal, Bamako, Kati, Gao and Mopti.

Kidal, located in the north of the country, fell to rebels after an "agreement" allowing Russian soldiers from the Africa Corps to withdraw from the town. Defense Minister Sadio Camara and a key figure in the junta was killed in an attack on his home on Saturday.

After four days of absence, Assimi Goïta, the president of the transition of Mali, spoke on Tuesday April 28 to affirm that the situation was under control. The Jnim jihadists called on Thursday April 30 for a broad “common front” to “put an end to the junta”. They imposed a road blockade in Bamako.

• The National Assembly of Senegal opened the way on Tuesday April 28 for a candidacy by Ousmane Sonko, the Prime Minister, in the next presidential election of 2029 by adopting a reform of the electoral code. He was deemed ineligible in 2024 after a conviction for defamation. The opposition sees it as a “law tailored to the measure of one man”.

• Libya, Algeria and Tunisia committed, Wednesday April 29, to "rational and equitable exploitation" of groundwater located in the northern part of the Sahara in the three countries. The “Tripoli Declaration” aims to “strengthen coordination and exchanges to guarantee sustainable exploitation” of these non-renewable fresh water reserves.

• The Femua (Anoumabo Urban Music Festival) opened its doors on Tuesday April 28 in Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Free concerts until May 2 are expected to attract 180,000 spectators. For this 18th edition, Gabon is the guest country of honor. A new stage has been created to highlight African comedians, the Femua Comedy Show.

• At least 42 people died on Saturday April 25 in eastern Chad. A clash "erupted following a dispute over a well between two families living" in the territory, according to Brahim Issa Galmaye, government delegate to the Wadi Fira province. This intercommunal violence has worsened since the start of the war in Sudan.

• In South Africa, relations are strained between Pretoria and Accra. The video of a young Ghanaian man, in a legal situation, has gone viral. After he showed his papers, a South African anti-immigration group asked him to return home. Ghana considered this act to be intimidation. The foreign ministers of the two countries spoke to each other on Friday April 24.

• The announcement of the expulsion of an agent from the French embassy caused diplomatic tensions between Madagascar and France on Tuesday April 28. Colonel Michael Randrianirina spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. “These exchanges allowed the two heads of state to address the facts, described as an isolated act, which led to the summoning of the heads of diplomatic missions of the two countries by the ministries of Foreign Affairs in the two capitals,” declared the press release from the Malagasy authorities.

• The Kenyan athlete, Sabastian Sawe, made marathon history on Sunday April 26 by becoming the first athlete to run the 42.195 kilometers in less than two hours. He won the London Marathon for the second year in a row.

In Mali, a weakened partnership between Russia and the junta in the face of the jihadist offensive

The capture of Kidal by the FLA and Jnim rebels plunges Mali into a situation of security uncertainty after the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from the Africa Corps (formerly the Wagner paramilitary company). This attitude questions the partnership between Moscow and Bamako, causing tensions within the Malian security apparatus.

Mali: tribute to the Minister of Defense, killed in the attacks

A national tribute was paid to Sadio Camara on Thursday April 30 in Bamako. He was buried in the presence of the president of the transition, Assimi Goïta. Explanations from our correspondent Serge Daniel.

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Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré wearing a “pistol beret”? An image retouched by AI

An unusual photograph of Ibrahim Traoré is widely shared on social networks: it shows the head of state of Burkina Faso wearing a beret equipped with a pistol. According to his supporters, this sophisticated weapon would demonstrate the technological advancement of which his country would be capable. This image was actually retouched by AI.

Mali: the junta on reprieve? Let's talk about it with Christophe Boisbouvier, Francis Kpatindé and Wassim Nasr

In Mali, we do not know at this stage what the next few weeks will bring as the demonstration of force last weekend by the Jnim and the FLA is impressive. Is the junta in power for five years on borrowed time? Who will come to his aid? What role does the Russian ally play? What is the name of the alliance between jihadists and Tuareg rebels? Is the Malian civilian population condemned to suffer a conflict that is not theirs?

In Mauritania, the gold rush in the Sahara desert

Despite variations in its price, gold continues to unleash passion and desire in Africa. A fever that attracts gold miners to the heart of the Sahara in Mauritania, where extraction sites are multiplying in the middle of the desert. A gold rush which in just a few years became one of the pillars of the Mauritanian economy.

Alain Mabanckou and Patrick Chamoiseau: how to tell the story of Africa?

On the occasion of the fourth edition of the Marrakech African Book Festival, Alain Mabanckou and Patrick Chamoiseau are the guests of the show "À l'Affiche!". Heirs of Creoleness for one, writer of movement and circulation for the other, they defend an open, lively and plural vision of literature.

Street fighting and departure of Russian mercenaries: the story of the fall of Kidal in 48 hours

On April 25, the FLA and Jnim launched an offensive against several Malian towns. In the north of the country, the town of Kidal was recaptured after three years of Russian and Malian presence. Verified images allow us to recount these two days of tension.

Spain: the Ceuta enclave has seen a sharp increase in arrivals since the start of 2026

Since the start of 2026, 1,968 migrants have arrived in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by land, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry. This road is very frequented by many young Moroccans and increasingly by Sub-Saharans. This increase represents 350% more compared to the year 2025.

War in Sudan: the guardians of the pyramids faithful to the post

In Sudan, the 140 pyramids of Meroe built in the 4th century AD bear witness to the wealth of the country. Moustafa Ahmed Moustafa is the guardian of the pyramids. He has not left his post despite the war which has lasted for three years.

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