Sudanese Army Says It Recaptures Two Areas in Blue Nile Region
The Sudanese army said on Monday it had seized control of two areas in the Blue Nile region in the far southeast of the country, following battles against an alliance of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). Over the past week, the RSF and its ally, the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, have made advances in the eastern areas of the Blue Nile region after fighting against the armed forces, which have heavily deployed drones. The command of the Fourth Infantry Division said in a statement that its forces had liberated the areas of Magaja and Sarkam following direct clashes with the rebel militia. The statement added that the operation resulted in the military taking control of the sites and forcing the enemy to retreat from the theatre of operations. Sarkam is located northeast of the strategic town of Kurmuk and about 11 kilometres from the Sali area, a key operational centre in the region’s eastern sector. The town of Magaja lies west of the Dandro military zone, which is described as one of the most important operational hubs in the central sector. Sudan Tribune
Sudan: Drone Attacks Deepen Humanitarian Crisis in El Obeid, Joint Forces Claims Gains in North Darfur
Repeated drone strikes on El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, have killed and injured civilians this week, damaged key infrastructure and deepened shortages of fuel, water and bread, while fighting continues across North Darfur, displacing thousands of people. Eyewitnesses told Radio Dabanga that drones have targeted El Obeid almost daily, with attacks beginning as early as 10am and, on some nights, continuing from 11pm until the early hours of the morning. Residents said the strikes have created widespread fear as they hit civilian and service facilities across the city. Eight pupils at El Jeel El Raed Private Girls’ School were injured on Friday when rocket fragments from a drone strike fell on the school. Residents said recent attacks have also struck fuel stations and areas near Yathrib School and Dar El Fikr School, injuring several schoolgirls who were taken to Tabyan Specialist Hospital for treatment. Other strikes reportedly hit a military vehicle near the Women’s and Maternity Hospital, and sewage tankers suspected of transporting fuel, killing three people. The attacks have further disrupted supplies of fuel, sending black market prices soaring. Dabanga
Standing Firm — The SA Communities Resisting Xenophobia and Protecting Migrants
An increasing number of South Africans are rejecting the call for undocumented migrants to leave the country by 30 June and speaking out against xenophobia, Afrophobia and tribalism. Civil society organisations, academics, religious leaders, traditional leaders and grassroots organisations are calling for calm ahead of Tuesday, 30 June, when mass demonstrations are expected to take place across the country against illegal immigration. At Constitutional Hill on Monday, 29 June, Siyafana Sonke, a coalition representing 160 organisations, including civil society organisations and trade unions, called on the government to recognise the growing tide of anti-migrant sentiment and violence as a humanitarian crisis. The coalition urged South Africans to direct their anger over the unemployment crisis, inequality and service delivery failures at the government rather than at migrants, and for community organisers to advocate for peace. Daily Maverick
Nigeria: DHQ Hosts AU Military Leaders to Boost Continental Security
The Defence Headquarters has hosted military leaders from across Africa in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, organised crime and other emerging security threats on the continent. The gathering reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting a stronger African security architecture through closer military collaboration and coordinated peace operations. The event marked the opening of the induction and orientation programme for members of the Military Staff Committee of the African Union Peace and Security Council. Speaking at the ceremony on Monday, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, said Africa’s evolving security challenges require greater cooperation among member states. The CDS, represented by the Director of Search and Rescue at Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, welcomed delegates to Abuja and expressed appreciation to the African Union Commission for selecting Nigeria to host the strategic capacity-building programme. He said the Military Staff Committee, as the principal military advisory body to the AU Peace and Security Council, plays a critical role in providing strategic military advice on conflict prevention, crisis response and peace support operations. Oluyede noted that terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity, cyber threats and humanitarian crises continue to pose serious challenges across Africa, making coordinated continental responses imperative. PR Nigeria
Nigeria State Police: The Powers, Safeguards, Controversies in Approved Bill
For more than two decades, the agitation for state police has remained one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s political and constitutional discourse. For many, it is the long-overdue solution to worsening insecurity in the land and a necessary step towards true federalism. However, many fear it could hand governors enormous powers that may be abused for political purposes. On Thursday, 11 June, the debate moved a step closer to law. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, marking one of the most significant security reform proposals currently before the National Assembly. The Senate also passed the bill on Wednesday. The bill is part of the ongoing Constitution alteration process aimed at restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture in response to rising insecurity across the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes. … Perhaps the most far-reaching provision is the creation of a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police and State Police. This would end the current constitutional arrangement under which the Nigeria Police Force is the only recognised police organisation in the country. … The bill proposes a significantly expanded National Police Council comprising representatives of federal and state governments, retired police officers, human rights institutions, labour unions, traditional rulers, lawyers and journalists. Premium Times
Military Siege on Uganda’s Nation Media Group Enters Third Day
Armed, masked military personnel have maintained a strict physical blockade on Nation Media Group Uganda (NMGU) premises for a third consecutive day, crippling the country’s largest independent media house. The siege began at 1:00 AM on Sunday, June 28, when security forces raided and barricaded NMGU’s main headquarters in Namuwongo, alongside its broadcasting centers located at the Kampala Serena Hotel. The ongoing operation has forced major national outlets—including the Daily Monitor newspaper, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, KFM, and Dembe FM—completely out of print circulation and off the airwaves. Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has since confirmed that the shutdown of the media conglomerate was executed with the direct approval of his father, President Yoweri Museveni. Gen. Muhoozi noted that he is currently locked in talks with veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda, leader of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU)—a pro-government political movement aligned with the CDF—to negotiate a potential reopening of the media house. … Despite its physical infrastructure being under military occupation, NMGU management stated that the company is adapting to the aggressive state restrictions. To circumvent the broadcast and print blackout, the media house is actively distributing breaking news, updates, and digital broadcasts through its various online channels. Daily Monitor
States Vs Media: East African Press Councils Call for an End to ‘Hostility’
The East African Press Councils (EAPC) has called for a de-escalation of the hostility and exchanges between the media and governments in the region. This follows the shutdown of NTV-Uganda, Spark TV and KFM FM, and recent exchanges between Kenya’s President William Ruto and the Standard Group Media. The councils said the heightened public intimidation and profiling of the media and journalists by those wielding State power is creating fear among journalists while promoting self-censorship in the media. “This violates constitutional, regional and global human rights State obligations, including denial to right to access information and endangering the lives of journalists,” read the EAPC statement signed by its Chairperson David Omwoyo, who is also the Media Council of Kenya CEO. The East African
Senegalese Lawmakers Pass Divisive Reform Curbing Presidential Powers
Members of Senegal’s National Assembly on Monday adopted a controversial constitutional amendment that expands their role and reduces presidential powers, but the government said it will be put to a referendum. The constitutional reform comes as political tensions rose between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, who was dismissed and elected as the president of the National Assembly last month. The opposition views the initiative, proposed by Pastef, Sonko’s party, as political revenge by the former prime minister, who retains significant influence over the parliamentary majority. Responding to calls from several opposition parties and civil society organizations, demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building to denounce the changes, waving placards and chanting the slogan “Hands off my Constitution!” Police fired tear gas and detained several opposition leaders and activists. AP
DRC Opposition Leader Sesanga Banned from Leaving the Country
An opposition leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo said Monday he had been banned from leaving the country and stripped of his passport, condemning it as “intimidation” amid tensions with the government. Delly Sesanga, who heads the Envol party and is an ex-minister and former lawmaker, is a leading member of a new coalition against moves to amend the constitution paving the way to allow the president to stay in power. More than two years before the DRC next holds presidential polls, a bill on the organisation of a referendum on constitutional reform was adopted by parliament earlier this month. It could open the door to a third term in office for President Felix Tshisekedi, 63, whose second and – under the current iron-clad rules – final five-year mandate ends in December 2028. An opposition rally in the capital Kinshasa on June 12 to denounce an attempted “constitutional coup” was suppressed. Several opposition figures, including Sesanga, were wounded during clashes with pro-government activists and the police. The office of the UN human rights chief condemned the death of at least one demonstrator. Another rally is planned for July 8. Sesanga is part of the C64 (Coalition Article 64) set up in May to oppose the presidential move. Africanews with AFP
Ebola Outbreak Could Cost Africa up to $3.6 Bln, UN Says
The United Nations said on Tuesday that an Ebola outbreak could cost Africa up to $3.6 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs, potentially causing a development crisis. The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no tested vaccine or treatment, has infected 1,307 people and killed 377 in the Democratic Republic of Congo since being declared on May 15, the government says. … “If we have the resources and we step up, we can contain this outbreak and prevent further losses,” said Damien Mama, United Nations Development Programme resident representative in Congo. “If we do not, this health emergency risks becoming a much deeper and prolonged development crisis across the region and potentially the continent.” The UNDP outlined three scenarios for the outbreak. In the best scenario, where the epidemic remains contained in the two countries, the cost is $1 billion for Congo’s GDP, the report said. In the worst-case scenario, the disease spreads to countries including Rwanda and Angola and coincides with higher fuel costs linked to the Iran crisis, cutting continental GDP by $3.6 billion and resulting in 328,000 job losses, the report said. Reuters
Flooding Hits Ghana’s Capital Killing 13 People – with Another Storm Forecast
At least 13 people have died in Ghana’s capital, Accra, after torrential rain resulted in severe flooding, according to the fire service which has been involved in rescue efforts. The government has urged people to stay indoors or move to higher ground, as the meteorological agency warned further rain was expected with a big storm approaching from the east. Much of the water from Sunday night’s downpours has begun to recede, but as the recovery operation continues, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNF) said the death toll could rise. Low-lying areas were particularly impacted. Videos circulating on social media show homes and vehicles submerged, while many buildings have been destroyed. … The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have temporarily shut down power supply to parts of the capital affected by the floods as a precautionary measure. … Flooding in Accra is exacerbated by a poor drainage system, including clogged gutters and the construction of illegal structures on waterways. BBC
Seychelles: From Independence to Conservation Trailblazer
[Video] Since 1976, the island nation has made environmental protection central to its identity. Today, about 50% of its land is protected — one of the highest rates worldwide. Conservation drives policy, tourism and national pride. Across its 115 islands, unique ecosystems are preserved. Seychelles treats its biodiversity as a crucial asset, not just a tourist selling point. But this story begins with independence. On June 29, 1976, Seychelles broke from British rule after more than 150 years, as decolonization swept across Africa. Five decades on, Seychelles has transformed political freedom into something bigger: a nation known not just for its beauty but for how fiercely it protects it. DW
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