The African Tribune

The jihadist group Boko Haram has freed more than four hundred hostages in northeastern Nigeria, a region where the Islamist network continues to challenge federal authority despite nearly fifteen years of military campaigns. The scale of this release, unprecedented in recent times, comes amid a resurgence of activity among armed factions vying for dominance around Lake Chad. Authorities in Abuja have not immediately detailed the terms of this operation, but the well-documented practice of ransom payments in the area raises questions about what concessions were made. A mass release shrouded in mystery Nigeria's northeastern region, particularly the states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, has been the epicenter of the jihadist insurgency since 2009. The released captives are mostly from rural c...

The head of Senegal's National Assembly and former prime minister Ousmane Sonko secured a decisive re-election on Saturday as leader of his party, Pastef, a political triumph that quickly became a warning to his opponents amid the country's ongoing political turmoil.Delegates from domestic chapters and the diaspora convened in Diamniadio, on the outskirts of Dakar, for the party's first congress.Having led Pastef since its founding in 2014, Sonko has now been voted to remain at the helm for another six-year term."I fully appreciate the weight of this responsibility because Pastef is no ordinary party in Senegal's political landscape," he told the gathering after his election."Revolutions can be hijacked, absorbed, or emptied of their substance if they lack both a clear doctrine and an orga...

Ousmane Sonko, president of Senegal's National Assembly and former prime minister, was overwhelmingly re-elected on Saturday as head of his party, Pastef. This political victory quickly served as a warning to his political opponents amid the ongoing political crisis in Senegal.Delegates from national sections and the diaspora gathered in Diamniadio, near Dakar, for the party's first congress.At the helm of Pastef since its founding in 2014, Sonko retains his position for a new six-year term."I measure the weight of this responsibility because Pastef is not an ordinary party in the Senegalese political landscape," he told the gathering after his election."Revolutions can be hijacked, absorbed or emptied of their content when they lack a clear doctrine or an organisation capable of anchoring...

Mali's military government has taken a bold step in its territorial reconquest strategy. A ministerial decree published on Friday, June 5, 2026, establishes military interest zones covering around forty forests across the country. These areas are now reserved exclusively for operations by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and strictly off-limits to any civilian presence. The measure explicitly targets suspected sanctuaries of jihadist groups affiliated with the Islamic State in the Sahel and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Security mapping reshapes land use The decree provides a precise list of the affected forest masses, spread across several regions. Wooded areas in the centre and south, long used as fallback bases by armed fighters, feature prominently in this setup. By lockin...

During their sixth general assembly held on Saturday, 6 June 2026 in Ouagadougou, members of the Union of Managers and Cashiers of Public Pharmaceutical Depots of Burkina Faso once again called on authorities to address their working conditions. At the heart of their demands is the adoption of an official status for a profession they consider essential to the health system. The assembly, held under the theme “Resilience of Volunteers Serving the People”, gave participants a platform to voice growing concerns over what they describe as an increasingly alarming situation. Ousmane Bolly, president of the Union, pointed out that many managers have been working for decades without a clearly defined professional framework. “The people you see here have been working for 20 or 30 years, but some ...

Transport operators from Senegal are calling for a halt to trips toward Bamako, while Moroccan carriers have become increasingly cautious, and the Guinea-Mali route is also experiencing significant disruptions. For weeks, several key road corridors vital for supplying Mali have faced major difficulties. Escalating challenges on key trade routes The troubles on multiple corridors serving Mali are beginning to reshape regional transport habits. Behind the calls to suspend certain journeys and the worries voiced by professional organisations, the disruptions on commercial axes are now affecting freight costs, delivery times, and the organisation of supply chains linking Bamako with its main trading partners. As a landlocked country, Mali depends heavily on regional road transport. The Dakar...