Big cat juju: Mystical beliefs in wildlife powers in Senegal fuelling rapid decline of lion and leopard populations in West Africa
The gris-gris, prescribed by influential religious leaders called marabouts, are crafted from bits of skin with written prayers or Quranic verses sewn inside. They are widely used across Senegal; police don them for protection, wrestlers for strength and politicians for clout. Average citizens wear them to ward off curses that other people may have put on them for a variety of reasons – matters of romance, perhaps, or jealousy at economic success.
While it’s known Rwanda is chief architect of scramble for eastern Congo’s minerals, world powers are shy to rein it in
The M23 rebel group entered the outskirts of Bukavu, a city of about 1.3 million in eastern DRC, in mid-February 2025. This happened two weeks after Goma, another city in the region, came under the control of M23 rebels. With support from the Rwandan army, M23 already controls vast territory in eastern DRC.
At least 430 killed in Sudanese RSF paramilitary attacks in White Nile State, aid agencies say
The war in Sudan has killed more than 24,000 people and driven over 14 million people – about 30 per cent of the population – from their homes, according to the United Nations. An estimated 3.2 million Sudanese have escaped to neighbouring countries.
M23 rebels set eyes on Butembo city after the capture of Goma and Bukavu in eastern Congo
Also on Tuesday, the M23 captured the town of Kamanyola, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Bukavu, after they overcame resistance from the Congolese army in the evening, said Steve Mubalama, a civil society representative in the town.
While Uganda is generating and exporting violence to Congo, its adherence to universal human rights needs serious questioning
Regarding the Right to Asylum Uganda today is reputed to be the most open country to refuges in Africa and the third in the whole world as a ready destination for refugees. Most of Uganda’s refugees come from the violence-ridden countries of the Great Lakes Region and Nile Basin Region. Some critical thinkers have reasoned that this may be explained by the fact that the dominant rulers of Uganda were themselves refugees and, therefore, show a lot of empathy towards refugees.
UN accuses Rwanda-backed rebels in east Congo of killing children, Uganda joins fray in Bunia
M23 is the most prominent of more than 200 armed groups vying for control of eastern Congo’s trillions of dollars in mineral wealth that’s critical for much of the world’s technology. The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, according to UN experts.
Why have Rwanda-backed rebels seized two Congolese cities and is there an end in sight?
The M23’s takeover of Goma in North Kivu province witnessed intense fighting with government and allied troops that left bodies lying in the streets and thousands of Congolese soldiers surrendering their arms.
Congolese military run out of Bukavu – eastern Congo’s second largest city – as M23 rebels advance
Reports and social media videos showed the region’s factories pillaged and prisons emptied while electricity remained on and communication lines open in most places.
Congo President Tshisekedi blasts UN for failing to stop war in the east as M23 rebels, Rwandan army capture Bukavu
The rebels last week declared a unilateral ceasefire that the government dismissed as false. They later continued to advance toward Bukavu, seizing several nearby towns, including the town of Katana on Friday. The town is 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Kavumu airport.
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels sweep into Bukavu in eastern Congo without a fight as Kinshasa reports heavy military presence
A Congolese officer at the camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that some, but not all troops had left the camp. Any escalation in Bukavu could worsen the humanitarian situation, with the UN saying on Thursday that there had been an influx of displaced people moving towards the city, where nearly 1.3 million people already reside.
