Latest Articles about Africa
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s Operational Revival in Northern Algeria
In the past few months, there has been a rather remarkable operational return of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Algeria. On July 16, a double suicide attack rocked a security compound in the small town of Bordj Menail, 60 km east of... MORE
What the Tuareg Do After the Fall of Qaddafi Will Determine the Security Future of the Sahel
At least 1,500 Tuareg fighters joined Muammar Qaddafi’s loyalist forces (though some sources cite much larger figures) in the failed defense of his Libyan regime. Many were ex-rebels residing in Libya, while others were recruited from across the Sahel with promises of large bonuses and... MORE
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TALIBAN ISSUE STATEMENT ON USE OF CHILD SUICIDE BOMBERS Afghanistan’s Taliban movement is seeking to deflect a wave of criticism surrounding its alleged use of children as suicide bombers following a public appearance by President Hamid Karzai with eight children the president said were recruited... MORE
China’s Uranium Quest Part 2: The Turn to Foreign Markets
On August 24, the head of Kazakhstan’s national nuclear monopoly Kazatomprom announced plans to increase its uranium fuel pellet shipments to China by one hundredfold, from 2 metric tons this year to 200 metric tons in 2013 or 2014 (Bloomberg, August 22). This is welcome... MORE
Boko Haram’s Radical Ideologue: An In-Depth Look At Northern Nigeria’s Abu Shekau
Imam Abu Muhammad Abubakar bin Muhammad Shekau (a.k.a. Abu Shekau) has made clear that he is the sole leader of the northern Nigeria-based Islamist movement called Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda'awati w’al Jihad, more commonly referred to as Boko Haram. However, he may be pulling the strings... MORE
A Swan Song in Sudan and Libya for China’s “Non-Interference” Principle
Observers of politics in the Arab world and the broader Middle East continue to scrutinize China’s place in the region. Dissecting the nuances of Chinese diplomacy and foreign policy towards such a large swath of energy-rich territory that is so deeply ensconced in a U.S.-led... MORE
Somalia’s Famine Contributes to Popular Revolt against al-Shabaab Militants
Somalia’s drought and famine have slowed the progress of al-Shabaab operations in Somalia as people continue to flee from areas of southern Somalia under the movement’s control. These areas also happen to be the regions hit hardest by the growing shortages of food and water.... MORE
Under NATO’s Flag: an Interim Assessment of the Mission in Libya (Part Three)
As in Iraq and Afghanistan, a Western coalition intervened in Libya with only a weak grasp of the local society. The coalition underestimated the resilience of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s base of social support in the country’s west. It seemed blindsided by the complexity of tribal... MORE
Under NATO’s Flag: An Interim Assessment of the Mission In Libya (Part Two)
NATO embarked almost haphazardly in March on the Libya mission. The Alliance became the third entrant to this mission in a rapid sequence, after the United States and the Franco-British tandem. The respective leaderships never defined the political, economic, or strategic interests in Libya for... MORE