Sudan Paramilitaries Overrun Key Zone Bordering Egypt and Libya
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Wednesday that they had taken control of a strategic zone at the tri-border area with Egypt and Libya, following the Sudanese army’s withdrawal. The move marks a significant development in the ongoing war, coming a day after the army accused forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of participating in a cross-border assault alongside the RSF—an unprecedented claim of Libyan involvement in Sudan’s conflict.
Military sources reported that fighting began three days earlier when RSF units and Haftar-aligned Libyan forces attacked army-linked Joint Forces in the mineral-rich border triangle. The mountainous area, spanning approximately 1,500 square kilometers, is known for cross-border trade and gold mining. A former army officer said RSF control gives the group strategic leverage over key supply lines into Libya, noting the nearest army outpost is around 400 km away.
The territory lies north of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, where RSF-army clashes have intensified.
(Source: AFP)
Sudan: Eight Civilians Killed as RSF Shells El Fasher Displacement Camp
Eight people were killed when the RSF shelled the Abu Shouk displacement camp in El Fasher, North Darfur, on Wednesday, according to local activists. The RSF, which has besieged the city since April 2024, targeted both the camp’s market and residential areas, causing further injuries and prompting mass displacement.
The siege has blocked humanitarian aid and basic supplies, resulting in acute food shortages. Locals have resorted to consuming “al-imbaz,” a peanut by-product typically fed to livestock. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 307 families fled El Fasher and the camp between June 4 and 9 amid worsening violence.
(Source: Sudan Tribune)
Mali Cabinet Endorses Law to Extend Junta Leader’s Rule
Mali’s cabinet has approved draft legislation that would allow junta leader General Assimi Goita to remain in power for a renewable five-year term without an election. The bill now proceeds to the National Transitional Council, which was formed following military coups in 2020 and 2021.
In April, a junta-led national assembly had recommended Goita’s appointment as president without a vote and called for the dissolution of all political parties—recommendations now being implemented. The move deepens Mali’s political authoritarianism, despite earlier promises to return to civilian rule.
(Source: AFP)
West Africans Tricked into Gold Mine Slavery in Burkina Faso
Criminal traffickers in Burkina Faso are using pro-junta, anti-Western propaganda to lure vulnerable West Africans into forced labor under false job promises. Drawing on rhetoric from the regime of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, traffickers exploit narratives of pan-Africanism and sovereignty to recruit migrants from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, and Mali.
Victims interviewed by The Africa Report said they were trapped in cities like Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou after discovering the promised jobs were scams. Many were fleeing economic hardship and are now exploited in unregulated gold mining operations.
(Source: The Africa Report)
African Nations Pledge Action on Small Arms Trafficking
At a five-day summit in Nairobi, African nations from the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region committed to fighting the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons. Convened by Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and the Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA), the forum emphasized the role of weapons trafficking in regional instability.
Dr. Raymond Omollo, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Internal Security, stressed the importance of intelligence-sharing, public awareness, and harmonized legal frameworks to curb arms smuggling.
(Source: Garowe Online)
Burundi Election Marred by Allegations of Voter Intimidation – HRW
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Burundi’s ruling CNDD-FDD party of using intimidation and coercion to secure its sweeping victory in the June 5 parliamentary elections, where it won 96% of the vote.
Interviewees described ruling party youth members (Imbonerakure) stationed at polling sites, coercing citizens to vote for the party. Reports also emerged of censorship of media and limited opposition participation.
(Source: AFP)
Togo Journalist Detained, Protest Footage Deleted
TV5 Monde journalist Flore Monteau was briefly detained and had her footage deleted by Togolese security forces while covering anti-government protests in Lomé. She was held at a gendarmerie station and forced to unlock her phone for inspection before being released without charge.
In a similar case in April, journalist Albert Agbeko of Togo Scoop was detained and forced to delete coverage of a controversial voter registration process.
(Source: CPJ)
Nigeria’s Cybercrime Law Under Scrutiny by Foreign Envoys
To mark Nigeria’s 2025 Democracy Day, ambassadors from five Western nations—USA, UK, Canada, Norway, and Finland—called for an urgent review of the 2015 Cybercrimes Act, citing misuse against journalists and critics.
The envoys argued that vague language in the Act enables abuse, suppresses free expression, and undermines investor confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy. At least 29 individuals have been prosecuted under the law since its inception.
(Source: Premium Times)
Kenya’s Budget Presented Amid Public Sensitivities Over Taxation
Kenya’s government presented its annual budget to parliament on Thursday, a year after mass protests over tax hikes left at least 60 people dead and forced a reversal of fiscal plans.
While smaller demonstrations occurred in Nairobi, the primary focus was on recent incidents of police brutality. Analysts expect the new budget to avoid triggering last year’s levels of unrest, although it still contains measures likely to raise costs for small businesses.
(Source: AFP)
Ethiopian IDPs from Western Tigray Demand Return, Protest in Mekelle
Hundreds of internally displaced persons from Western Tigray staged a protest at the Tigray Interim President’s office in Mekelle on Wednesday, demanding immediate return to their homes still under Amhara and federal control.
Demonstrators condemned government inaction and recalled previous promises of repatriation. Western Tigray was one of the areas most affected by atrocities during the Tigray conflict, including acts deemed as ethnic cleansing by the U.S. State Department.
(Source: Addis Standard)
At Least Eight Migrants Drown as Smugglers Abandon Boat in Red Sea
At least eight migrants drowned and 22 remain missing after smugglers forced passengers off a boat far from Djibouti’s coast on June 5. Survivors say the smugglers ordered over 150 people into the sea, many of whom were attempting to reach Yemen.
Rescue operations by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recovered five bodies and found dozens of survivors in the desert. Many are receiving medical and psychological care at IOM centers.
(Source: UN News)
