Know Afrika

In my opinion, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh is currently navigating a "perfect storm" of procedural irregularities and political skepticism. While the pursuit of justice for the events of July 2024 is a national necessity, the current trajectory of the tribunal risks transforming a historic opportunity for accountability into a spectacle of political retaliation. In my view, when the judicial process is rushed and partisan, the victims are the ones who ultimately lose. https://t.co/t0Eg3ZLoaD — Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) March 18, 2026 March 18 2026 Why is the appointment of Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam controversial ?   The selection of Mohammad Tajul Islam as Chief Prosecutor has raised significant eyebrows. I believe that appointing a lead lawyer who previously defended high-profile war crimes suspects to now lead the prosecution is a move fraught with conflict-of-interest concerns. Critics argue this appointment isn't about legal exp...

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has officially rebuffed demands from the United States to isolate Iran, marking a new low in bilateral relations. On March 16, 2026, Director-General Zane Dangor confirmed that South Africa has "no reason" to cut diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic, emphasizing the nation's commitment to an independent, non-aligned foreign policy despite escalating threats from the Trump administration. South Africa has Rejected United States Orders. March 16 2026 South Africa has no reason to cut ties with Iran, its director general of foreign affairs said, after the new U.S. ambassador was quoted as saying the country's association with the Islamic Republic was an impediment to good relations with Washington. https://t.co/gE7PEuR3OQ — Reuters Africa (@ReutersAfrica) March 16, 2026 Why is the new U.S. Ambassador sparking a diplomatic firestorm?   The friction reached a boiling point after the newly a...

On March 16, 2026, Kenya achieved a major diplomatic victory in Moscow, securing a formal agreement that its citizens will no longer be eligible for enlistment in the Russian military . https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/russia-kenya-agree-that-kenyans-will-no-longer-fight-russia-ukraine-minister-2026-03-16/   The deal, announced by Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi alongside his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov , comes after months of rising domestic anger over the "clandestine" recruitment of over 1,000 Kenyans to fight in Ukraine. Kenya and Russia agree no Kenyans will be recruited for Ukraine war Why did Kenya take such a firm stand against Russian recruitment?  In my opinion, the Kenyan government was left with no choice but to intervene as the human cost became impossible to ignore. A February intelligence report revealed that hundreds of Kenyans were being lured by monthly salaries exceeding $2,000 and bonuses of $6,000 only to end up as "cannon fodder...

  Senegal has taken a decisive step to safeguard its cultural and religious identity. On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the National Assembly voted 135-0 to approve a landmark bill that significantly toughens the penalties for "acts against nature." This legislative victory fulfills a core campaign pledge made by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, aimed at shielding the nation from external social pressures. According to BBC News , the move enjoys massive support across the country's political and religious spectrum. New legislation has doubled the previous sentencing limits, with individuals now facing up to a decade in prison for same-sex activity What are the updated penalties under the 2026 law?  The new legislation moves beyond the 1966 penal code by doubling the maximum prison sentence for same-sex acts to 10 years. The government argues that previous laws were too lenient to act as a proper deterrent. Additionally, financial penalties hav...

The latest massacre in Mali is not just another statistic; it is proof that the country's military leadership has failed. On March 10, 2026 , a new Human Rights Watch investigation confirmed that the Al Qaeda linked group JNIM summarily executed twelve civilians, including two teenage apprentices, in southwestern Mali. JNIM militants in the deserts of northern Mali The Muslim Brotherhood and the Global Terror Shift This isn't happening in a vacuum. The German government's ban of the Muslim Interaktiv group on November 5 shows a global crackdown on Islamist extremism. Frankly, Mali is the next "Afghanistan". If the government continues to prioritize its own survival over countering the Al Qaeda expansion, the entire Sahel will fall under the same "unrestrained violence" we see in Sudan. 🚨 Mali 🇲🇱 Une embuscade revendiquée par le JNIM le 9 mars près de Nampala (région de Ségou) a visé un convoi de l’armée malienne et de l’Africa Corps russe. Selon d...

Fuel tanker drivers at the Ivory Coast-Mali border are waiting near their vehicles for a military escort The recent execution of twelve truck drivers in southwestern Mali has reignited concerns about civilian safety on strategic transport routes. This incident involved a fuel convoy attacked by JNIM fighters, a group linked to Al Qaeda. The group’s shift toward deliberately targeting drivers has raised urgent questions about whether the Malian state can still safeguard economic lifelines. The primary keyword here is Mali fuel convoy killings. Islamist militants from an al Qaeda-linked group killed 10 long-haul truck drivers and two teenage apprentices who were travelling through Mali's western Kayes region in late January, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday. https://t.co/nYcWJO1cXK — Reuters Africa (@ReutersAfrica) March 10, 2026 Why Did JNIM Target A Civilian Fuel Convoy In Mali Reports indicate the convoy was escorted by Malian soldiers, which may have made it appear like...