Tigray Rebels Withdraw From Mekelle as Fighting Intensifies
Rebel forces in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region have temporarily withdrawn from the regional capital, Mekelle, as fighting with government forces moves closer to the city. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front said it relocated its fighters to reduce risks to civilians. The residents said that pro-government forces now control Mekelle and mobile phone services have resumed in parts of the city. The renewed fighting has spread across Tigray, Afar and Amhara, raising fears of a wider conflict in the Horn of Africa. The TPLF recently joined six other armed groups in an alliance seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government. The development comes amid worsening relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as tensions with Egypt and Sudan, with Ethiopia accusing its neighbours of supporting the rebels. The United Nations has warned that the deteriorating security situation is disrupting humanitarian operations. The latest violence threatens the fragile 2022 peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year civil war in Tigray, which an African Union mediator estimated killed about 600,000 people.
France Steps Up Support for Ebola Fight in DR Congo
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France said that it will increase support for efforts to contain a major Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 4,000 people have died. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced the additional support during a visit to Bunia in Ituri province, one of the areas hardest hit by the outbreak. According to the DR Congo Health Ministry, 4,042 people have died among 8,376 recorded cases since the outbreak was declared on 15 May. France has already allocated €13.4 million towards the response. Barrot said he would seek additional humanitarian funding during discussions on France’s budget. Although the number of new cases has declined in some areas, health officials warn the outbreak remains severe, with insecurity and difficulties accessing communities complicating the response. Doctors Without Borders says the situation has worsened in North Kivu, which has accounted for 40% of new confirmed cases since late August. DR Congo Health Minister Roger Kamba said that the epidemic has peaked. France is urging continued vigilance to prevent further spread.
Rwanda Genocide Justice Campaigner Dafroza Gauthier Dies
Dafroza Gauthier, a Rwandan genocide survivor who spent decades helping track down people accused of participating in the 1994 genocide and living in France, has died of cancer at the age of 72. Alongside her French husband, Alain Gauthier, she founded the Collective of Civil Plaintiffs for Rwanda, which filed civil cases against dozens of genocide suspects in France. Their efforts helped bring several suspects to trial under universal jurisdiction, with seven ultimately receiving final convictions and prison sentences ranging from 14 years to life. Gauthier, who was born into a Tutsi family in southern Rwanda, witnessed ethnic violence from a young age and lost much of her family during the genocide, including her mother, who was killed in a church in Kigali. After attending a genocide trial in Belgium in 2001, the couple began systematically investigating suspects living in France. Their work contributed to the 2014 conviction of former Rwandan intelligence chief Pascal Simbikangwa, who received a 25-year sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity. Gauthier maintained that her goal was justice rather than revenge and continued the work until her death.
Somaliland Rejects Somalia Claims Over Israel and Berbera
Somaliland has rejected comments by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud about its relationship with Israel and the strategic port of Berbera, saying Somalia has no authority over Somaliland’s foreign relations. Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry described the president’s remarks as misleading and reaffirmed its claim to sovereignty, saying its diplomatic ties with Israel are sovereign decisions intended to promote cooperation, development and regional stability. It also rejected claims that Berbera could be used as a platform for aggression against other countries. Somaliland defended its support for negotiated arrangements allowing landlocked Ethiopia access to the sea and criticised Somalia’s opposition to the 2024 Ethiopia-Somaliland memorandum of understanding. Somaliland and Israel established diplomatic relations after Israel formally recognised Somaliland in December 2025. The Somaliland government accused Somalia of interference and threats of force and called for restraint. It said that it would continue pursuing peaceful diplomacy and partnerships across the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
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Chivayo and Wife to Be Buried Despite Missing Remains
The bodies of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his wife, Lucy Muteke, will be buried at Glen Forest Cemetery in Harare on Thursday, despite some remains, including their heads, still missing after their helicopter crash. The couple died when their Bell 430 helicopter crashed at Kudenga Farm in Marondera while they were travelling from their rural home in Gandami, Chikomba East. Three other people also died in the crash, which left the bodies severely fragmented and some remains destroyed by fire. A family spokesperson dismissed social media claims that several skulls had been recovered, saying the last identifiable personal items found were Chivayo’s wristwatch and his wife’s watch. Because the remains are incomplete, there will be no body viewing before the burial. The couple will be buried side-by-side in separate graves. The family has also rejected claims that the funeral will be private, saying anyone wishing to mourn Chivayo is welcome to attend. Chivayo was declared a provincial hero.
