35 Hostages Killed in Nigeria Despite Ransom Payments
At least 35 people have been killed by kidnappers in Nigeria, despite ransoms being paid for their release from a village in northern Zamfara state. 56 people were taken from Banga village, Kauran Namoda local government area, in March, and the gunmen demanded a ransom of $655 per person. 18 captives, mostly women and a young boy, were released after negotiations, but the rest were reportedly killed. Local chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura described the victims, mostly youths, as having been “slaughtered like rams.” Sixteen of those released are in the hospital receiving treatment, while the bodies of the 38 killed by the bandits are unlikely to be returned, as in this case, corpses are rarely released. The law was enacted in 2022 to curb the spiraling and lucrative kidnapping industry. The crime carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, but nobody has ever been arrested for it.
Namibia’s Nandi-Ndaitwah Warns of Foreign Meddling in African Politics
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for strategies to deal with foreign influences on opposition parties, calling for “regime change” at the 2025 Liberation Movement Summit in South Africa. She warned that these forces, driven by external interests, were targeting youth and civil society to weaken liberation movements across the region. The recent elections in Botswana and South Africa served as a warning to the liberation struggle, she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah won the 2024 presidential race with 57% of the vote, one of the worst performances in Namibia’s electoral history. Nandi-Ndaitwah pledged that Swapo will collaborate with sister parties in the quest to deliver a southern Africa where the gains of its liberation benefit all its people.
U.S. Imposes New Visa Restrictions on 31 African Nations
The United States imposed new visa restrictions on citizens of 31 African countries, limiting non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single-entry with a validity of only three months. Countries affected include West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Central Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Congo DR, Equatorial Guinea, East Africa: Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Africa: Zambia, Zimbabwe. The restrictions will apply to visas issued on or after July 8, 2025, while visas issued before this date will remain valid until their original expiration date.
Islamist Insurgencies Kill Over 22,000 Across Africa in One Year
Militant Islamist groups have remained a major source of instability across five key regions in Africa, with a record 22,307 fatalities linked to their activities in the past year, a 60% increase compared to 2020–2022. The Sahel accounted for nearly half of these deaths (10,685), followed by Somalia with 7,289, and the Lake Chad Basin, which together made up 99% of the continent’s militant Islamist-linked fatalities. Battle-related deaths rose in every theater, contributing to a 14% continent-wide increase in such fatalities (15,678). Militants have also expanded territorial control, with an estimated 950,000 square kilometers, an area the size of Tanzania, now outside government authority. While Somalia and the Lake Chad Basin were historically the most affected regions, the Sahel has emerged as the deadliest theater since 2023. Over the past decade, both Somalia and the Sahel have recorded over 49,000 fatalities each, compared to 39,000 in the Lake Chad Basin, with the continent experiencing a total of around 155,000 deaths. These shifts show the constant evolution of the militant Islamist threat in Africa and the importance of understanding the unique dynamics within each of these theaters.
UN Warns of Spiraling Health and Hunger Crises in War-Torn Sudan
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) raised alarm over worsening health and food crises in Sudan, particularly in North Darfur, as conflict continues to displace millions. In Tawila, cholera cases have surpassed 1,500 since June, with over 500 people currently being treated. Local authorities have implemented emergency measures, but OCHA said $120 million is urgently needed to scale up life-saving support. In El Fasher’s Abu Shouk camp, severe shortages of food and medicine have been reported, with four recent hunger-related deaths. Food insecurity continues to escalate due to low cereal supply, poor harvests, and rising prices. El Fasher recorded food costs more than six times the national average in May. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has already identified famine conditions in several regions, with more areas at risk during the July–October lean season. Meanwhile, in Port Sudan, extreme heat and power outages have triggered a rise in heatstroke cases, including one death in the past two days. Nearly 60% of displaced families in North Darfur still lack proper shelter.
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