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North Africa

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US to withdraw troops from Niger by September

Washington intends to maintain its diplomatic presence at the embassy in Niamey to salvage its foothold of influence in the Sahel as well as limit Russia's military inroads in Africa.

Protesters react as a man holds up a sign demanding that soldiers from the United States Army leave Niger without negotiation during a demonstration in Niamey, on April 13, 2024. Thousands of people demonstrated on April 13, 2024 in Niger's capital Niamey to demand the immediate departure of American soldiers based in northern Niger, after the military regime said it was withdrawing from a 2012 cooperation deal with Washington. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon confirms talks to withdraw US troops from Niger

Washington failed to reach a compromise with junta leaders in Niamey, as Russia continues to make gains across the Sahel.

The last French soldiers board a French military plane to leave Niger for good, at the French base which was handed over to the Nigerien army, in Niamey on December 22, 2023. The last French troops withdrew from Niger on December 22, 2023, marking an end to more than a decade of French anti-jihadist operations in west Africa's Sahel region, AFP saw and Niger's military announced. The French exit from Niger leaves hundreds of US military personnel, and a number of Italian and German troops, remaining in the

What Niger-US rupture says about Russia and West's shaky future in Sahel

Niger’s decision to suspend military cooperation with the United States follows rising anti-Western sentiment in the region.

A French soldier of the operation Barkhane, an anti-terrorist mission in Sahel, patrols as a tiger helicopter operates a tactical flight on March 12, 2016 in Mali. France's Barkhane counter-terror mission comprises at least 3,500 soldiers deployed across five countries (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso) with a mandate to combat jihadist insurgencies in the region.

US aims to keep troops in Niger despite junta decision on ending counterterrorism ties

Niger’s ruling military junta announced Saturday it was cutting ties with US special operations forces, threatening to undermine a key point of US influence as Russia expands its military foothold across Central Africa.

Latest News

2023 in review: From Sudan to Syria, here are Mideast's forgotten conflicts

Smoke plumes billow from a fire at a lumber warehouse in southern Khartoum amidst ongoing fighting on June 7, 2023. Eight weeks of fighting have pitted Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo -- commonly known as Hemeti -- who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). A number of broken ceasefires have offered brief lulls but no respite for residents of Khartoum, where witnesses again reported "the sound of heavy artillery fire" in the ca

What failure of Nile dam talks means for Egypt and Ethiopia

Third Nile Cataract, Sudan, 29 Dec. 29, 2022.

Breaking

Last Updated: December 6, 2023, 4:28 pm

US says Sudanese armed forces, RSF rebels committed war crimes

This image grab taken from AFPTV video footage on April 20, 2023, shows an aerial view of black smoke rising above the Khartoum International Airport amid ongoing battles between the forces of two rival generals.

Senior US official welcomes pressure on UAE over alleged Sudan arms transfers

TOPSHOT - A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict between Sudan's army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo spread in late August 2023 to North Darfur state, with at least 27 localities burned down by the RSF and allied Arab militias, according to the Humanitarian Research L

A cannabis field is seen in the village of Azila in Ketama region at the foot of the marginalized and underdeveloped mountainous region of Rif, Morocco, Sept. 16, 2022.

In Europe's cannabis market, Morocco faces stiff competition from Israel

A policeman watches as people cool off in the water at el-Kettani beach in the Bab el-Oued suburb, Algiers, Algeria, Aug. 15, 2020.

Two Moroccan-French tourists killed by Algerian coastguard

The tourists had strayed into Algerian waters. The incident could further inflame longstanding tensions between Morocco and Algeria.

Changing climate conditions and the need to secure water resources has led Morocco to add another 18 dams to its current network of 152, which includes the Abdelmoumen dam, some 37 miles from the coastal city of Agadir, shown here, October 23, 2020.

Drought puts Morocco’s water infrastructure projects into overdrive

Morocco’s budget for water infrastructure is rising as desalination and dam projects advance amid droughts and increasing international partnerships.

MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images

Libya captures Islamic State leader behind 2018 capital bombing

The Islamic State has exploited the chaos in Libya to extend its influence.

View of the headquarters of Libya's Central Bank in Tripoli, Oct. 15, 2004.

Libya’s central bank reunifies after clashes in Tripoli

The reunification of the financial institution is a sign of progress and follows disputes over oil revenue distribution and violence in the capital, as Libya continues to grapple with the aftermath of the civil war.

A Royal Air Maroc (RAM) Boeing 787-9 'Dreamliner' aircraft lands at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Lod on March 13, 2022, after flying RAM's first scheduled commercial flight from Casablanca. - Royal Air Maroc took off from Morocco's economic capital Casablanca bound for Tel Aviv on March 13, in the carrier's first direct flight to the Jewish state since the two countries normalised ties in 2020. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Morocco to continue to attract likes of Boeing and Airbus as aeronautics industry grows

Morocco’s aeronautics industry has come a long way over the past decade.

Francisco Serrano

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

An injured migrant who fled violence in Sfax to the militarised buffer zone between Tunisia and Libya rests.

Tunisia, Libya strike deal on stranded sub-Saharan African migrants

Anti-migrant sentiment in Tunisia has led to a crisis on the border with Libya, adding to Tunisia’s political and economic woes.

COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images

Breaking | Last Updated: August 3, 2023, 10:37 am

Morocco makes history, advances at Women’s World Cup

The Atlas Lionesses are the first team from the Arab World to play in the soccer tournament.

Fisherman work on a fish farm off the coast of Moroccan city of M'diq, on October 3, 2019. - With fish stocks declining in the Mediterranean, struggling Moroccan fisherman are hoping to turn to aquaculture as a way to secure their future. Figures from Morocco's department of maritime fishing confirm the decline. Catches in the eastern Oriental region dropped from 14.7 tonnes to 7.4 between 2013 and 2017. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Expiration of Morocco-EU fisheries deal has implications beyond Western Sahara

Olivia Hooper

By Olivia Hooper

Russia Africa

Russia seeks to boost ties with Egypt, Algeria at Africa summit

Russia’s second Africa summit did not yield any major deals with North African countries as leaders called upon Russia to resume the Black Sea grain deal.

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) greets Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum as he arrives for a meeting at the Elysee Palace, amid the New Global Financial Pact Summit in Paris on June 23, 2023. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

After Niger coup, France worries over Russia's influence, impact on North Africa

France is increasingly worried that the military putsch in Niger will push the country into Russia’s lap.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images

Tunisian wins gold at world swimming championships

Tunisia has a history of success in swimming, and athletes from the North African country have also performed well in tennis and soccer recently.