Timbuktu’s historical manuscripts return home after 13 years in ‘exile’ in Mali’s capital Bamako
Still, 13 years after the occupation of Timbuktu, the security situation in Mali remains precarious and analysts say it has worsened in recent months. Although the city is back under government control, militants continue attacking its surroundings, including as recently as last month.
Pressure piles on Israel for a two-state solution as Australia recognises Palestine
The Palestinian Authority’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Varsen Aghabekian said in an Australian Broadcasting Corporation interview it was a long-awaited decision that “gives Palestinians a sense of hope for the future”, although a ceasefire remains the priority.
Africa pulls ahead of the world as the epicentre of terrorism with Burkina Faso perched at the top
In a speech to the High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called for a new approach to addressing the “destructive phenomenon [that] is ravaging human lives, infrastructure and institutions.”
Israel bars thousands of Palestinians from Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
West African militaries reduced to sitting ducks as resurgent Islamic States attacks in northeast Nigeria take worrying trend
In January, ISWAP overran an army base in Mallam Fatori near the Niger border, seizing weapons and killing the commanding officer. Events started to accelerate in March, especially in southern Borno, with attacks in Wajiroko, Kumshe and Katafila, among others.
