Latest Articles about Africa
Somaliland Charges al-Shabaab Extremists with Suicide Bombings
With the completion of a month-long police investigation, Somaliland’s Interior Minister, Abdullahi “Irro” Ismail, has announced al-Shabaab extremists are responsible for the suicide bombings that killed more than 20 people in Somaliland’s capital of Hargeisa in late October. Al-Shabaab, originally the youth wing of Somalia’s... MORE
China’s African Inroads Shaken by Regional Political Uncertainties
Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies doing business in Africa are increasingly finding their lucrative and unbridled trade and contracts mired in the pervasive domestic power struggles shaping African politics. Chinese businesses' risk aversion to political uncertainties and their ability to remain above the fray... MORE
Qaddafi and Zyazikov: Reality Checks for Russia’s Petro-politics
The vast tent that graced the Kremlin garden over the weekend was not a part of the preparations for President Dmitry Medvedev’s address to the parliament, which is scheduled, after embarrassing delays, for November 5 (Vedomosti, October 30). It was a special arrangement for the... MORE
Taming the ISI: Implications for Pakistan’s Stability and the War on Terrorism
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency. As such, it has found itself at the center of a dispute between Pakistan and the United States over the prosecution of the War on Terrorism, a dispute fuelled by the two nations’ varying strategic aims. Established... MORE
Shaykh Qaradawi Alarms Egypt with Warning of Shiite Imperialism
In remarks very similar to recent statements from Egyptian al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, a popular Doha-based Egyptian Islamic scholar has accused Iran of being behind a new wave of Shia “imperialism” that threatens the existence of Sunni Islam in Egypt and other Muslim countries. 82-year-old... MORE
AQIM’s Offensive Reveals Shift from Insurgency to Terrorist Tactics in Algeria
August was one of Algeria’s bloodiest months in recent history. In total, 12 attacks carried out across the country by jihadi terrorists – including three suicide bombings – killed 80 and injured over 140. This murderous wave of violence confirmed a major shift by al-Qaeda... MORE
Bosnian Authorities Face Charges Over Transfer of “Algerian Six” to Guantanamo
Former Bosnian officials who handed over six members of the so-called “Algerian Group” to U.S. authorities, who in turn transferred them to the Guantanamo Bay military detention center, are facing an inquiry into their actions, which the Sarajevo Prosecutor's Office describes as illegal. The Prosecutor's... MORE
Terrorism and Piracy: The Dual Threat to Maritime Shipping
In the global war on terror, international attention has largely been focused on terrestrial operations, but the sea remains a fertile ground for attack. As in many terror attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq, the favored tool of maritime terrorists is the suicide bomber, piloting a... MORE
Sudan’s Oil Industry Faces Major Security Challenges
Sudan’s growing oil industry has already transformed the capital of Khartoum and has the potential to raise living standards throughout the country. The industry, dominated by Asian multinationals, nevertheless faces serious security threats from rebel movements unhappy with the conduct of foreign companies and the... MORE
Restructuring al-Qaeda’s Algerian Insurgency
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the North African branch of al-Qaeda, has been driven to the wall. Despite a new suicide attack that injured 25 on Sunday morning in Tizi Ouzou, Kabylie, the Algerian-based group is facing difficulties that could endanger its very existence... MORE