France 24 posted on 30 August 2026 an article titled "Niger Junta Puts Down Mutiny with Help from Russia's Africa Corps."
Niger authorities thwarted a mutiny by young soldiers on 28-29 August with the help of Russia's Africa Corps. Moscow's ambassador to Niger said the military government requested help, and the mutineers were "neutralised particularly thanks to the intervention of Africa Corps."
HumAngle, an African media platform with funding from the MacArthur Foundation and committed to identifying security and humanitarian crises in Africa, published on 21 August 2026 an article titled "The Human Price of Turkish AI-Powered Drone Rush Across Africa" by Ibrahim Adeyemi.
Ethiopia was one of the first countries in Africa to deploy Turkey's Baykar manufactured TB2 drones in combat. Military misfires of the drones in Amhara Region of Ethiopia and in the Sahel region of Africa have taken a toll on the civilian population. Inadequate training in use of the drones probably accounts for most of the mistakes.
Eurasia Review published on 26 August 2026 an article titled "Interview with Professor David Shinn" by Kester Kenn Klomegah.
This is a brief interview focused on the impact of Chinese and Russian-led multipolarity in Africa. While many African countries have taken advantage of the multipolar world to improve their situation, there is nothing static about the current engagement of external players in Africa. The alignments today may look very different in a year or two.
The Economist published on 20 August 2026 an article titled "Somaliland Wants to Help Secure the Red Sea."
Somaliland's president says his country can help secure the Red Sea by offering military bases to global powers along its coastline. Somaliland is prepared to offer both the United States and Israel bases at the port of Berbera.
Defence Web published on 18 August 2026 an article titled "Cote d'Ivoire Boosts Military Capabilities with New Chinese Patrol Vessels and Drones" by Armand Liebenberg.
Cote d'Ivoire recently took possession of two Chinese donated Predator-class coastal patrol vessels and purchased at least two advanced Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones. China earlier supplied Cote d'Ivoire with 9 assault vehicles and 27 armored personnel carriers.
Business Insider Africa published on 11 August 2026 an article titled "China Delivers Its Famous Wing Loong II Combat Drones to Another African Country in Growing Challenge to America's MQ-9 Reaper" by Olamilekan Okebiorun.
Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria previously received China's Wing Loong II combat drones. It is a lower cost alternative to the US-produced MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Firstpost posted on 15 August 2026 an article titled "What Is Saudi Arabia's New Red Sea Maritime Alliance?"
Saudi Arabia hosted 43 nations in Riyadh in late July and launched the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition that, so far, unites 14 regional countries to protect the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. It aims to counter Houthi threats coming from Yemen, secure global trade routes, and reduce reliance on Western maritime security operations.
Countries that have signed on are Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Comoros, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and the internationally recognized government in Yemen. Notable omissions are Eritrea, India, UAE, and Oman.
AEIs Critical Threats Africa File posted on 13 August 2026 an article titled "Somalia--AUSSOM" by Michael DeAngelo.
The African Union Stabilization and Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has begun an accelerated handoff of responsibility to the Somali National Army. AUSSOM's mission end date is December 2029, but the goal is to complete most of the handoff in 2028. Al-Shabaab will likely exploit any lapse in counterterrorism efforts that might result from this decision.
Small Wars Journal published on 11 August 2026 a commentary titled "The War of the Pen: What America's State Department Is Ignoring" by Julian McBride.
The author laments the absence of ambassadors at numerous US embassies, the State Department's waning soft power, the rise of middle and regional powers at the expense of the United States, and the increasing influence of China in the Global South.
He believes US diplomatic setbacks are self-inflicted but can be reversed through concerted action and the US position restored in the Global South.
Responsible Statecraft posted on 12 August 2026 an article titled "How the Egypt-Ethiopia Feud Could Upend Trump's Plans in Africa" by Jonathan Fenton Harvey.
The United States is sending mixed and confusing signals to Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland on complex relations in the region dealing with allocation of Nile waters and Ethiopia's quest for access to the sea.
The Somali Media Network posted on 8 August 2026 a 42-minute podcast with me hosted by Ismail Gorse on the Horn of Africa.
This is a wide-ranging discussion of current issues in the Horn of Africa and US policy with a special focus on Somalia and Somaliland.
Foreign Affairs published on 26 June 2026 an article titled "Who Is Winning Africa's Drone Wars?" by Nate Allen and Rida Lyammouri.
Inexpensive drones are fast becoming the weapon of choice in African conflicts. They are being deployed by both governments and insurgent groups. China is now Africa's largest supplier of drones, accounting for a quarter of those procured.
Foreign drones have turned African conflicts such as the civil war in Sudan into destabilizing proxy wars. At least eleven African countries now produce drones including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco.
AEI's Critical Threats Africa File posted on 16 July 2026 an article titled "Puntland Standoff with the Federal Government of Somalia" by Michael DeAngelo and Aaryaman Shah.
Ties between the Somali government in Mogadishu and Puntland state continue to deteriorate as Mogadishu implements its constitutional and electoral agenda. The national Somali Future Council (SFC) opposition coalition, which includes Puntland and Jubaland states and leading Somali opposition figures, has threatened to hold parallel elections and establish new government structures if Mogadishu continues to implement its agenda.
Reuters published on 15 July 2026 an in-depth article titled "The US Army Veteran and the Mystery Boeings Flying Sudan's War Routes" by Alexander Dziadosz, Reade Levinson, and David Lewis.
Companies registered in Singapore and the UAE owned by a US government, and military contractor and US Army Special Forces veteran have been operating several Boeing aircraft linking regional supply routes of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The United Nations has accused the RSF of genocide. The United States has not sanctioned the companies.
AEI's Critical Threats Africa File posted on 2 July 2026 an article titled "US Sanctions RSF and SAF" by Michael DeAngelo.
The United States has imposed additional sanctions on parties backing the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. These sanctions are part of a long list of US sanctions dating back to 2023.
Comment: Previous US sanctions on the warring parties in Sudan have had no impact on the fighting and these new sanctions will simply be more of the same.
Foreign Affairs published on 26 June 2026 an article titled "Who Is Winning Africa's Drone Wars?" by Nate Allen and Rida Lyammouri.
Conflicts in Mali, Somalia, Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger have experienced or continue to experience the use of armed drones. Increasingly, insurgent groups are making as effective use of drones as national armies. China, Turkey, and Iran provide most of the drones, but at least 11 African countries now produce them.
Fronts, an independent online news source owned by a privately held Czech company, posted on 15 June 2026 a commentary titled "The Egypt-Ethiopia Cold War Is Key to the Horn's Growing Conflicts" by Liam Karr.
The author suggests a "cold war" between Ethiopia and Egypt is a battle for regional dominance, touches nearly every conflict in the Horn of Africa, and is fueling tensions in an already unstable region. Control over Nile waters and landlocked Ethiopia's desire to obtain access to the sea loom large in this cold war.
Facility for Talo and Leadership Somalia, a policy institute and training center, posted on 9 June 2026 an article titled "Turkish Delegation Works to Ease Somalia Election Standoff."
A Turkish delegation visited Mogadishu in an effort to facilitate direct negotiations between President Hassan Sheikh and his political opponents concerning a postponed election. Turkey has frequently intervened to mediate disputes in Somalia.
The International Crisis Group posted on 1 June 2026 a five and one-half minute video titled "Divided Sudan, Elusive Peace."
The video provides a good, summary update of the current situation in the Sudan conflict.
Ethiopia Insight published on 1 June 2026 a commentary titled "Washington's Ethiopia Reset Risks Rewarding Impunity" by Getachew Gebrekiros Temare.
The author argues Ethiopia is pursuing a transactional foreign policy with the United States and other major international players, playing one against another. He urges the United States engage in a responsible dialogue with Ethiopia that addresses serious unresolved security issues.
Foreign Policy posted on 18 May 2026 an article titled "The Gulf's African Aftershocks" by Liam Karr.
The war against Iran is deepening preexisting regional proxy conflicts in the Horn of Africa and making mediation in Sudan of ongoing conflict more difficult. It has also resulted in a reduction of Gulf State investment in the region and beyond.
