Threats
Is It Time for AFRICOM to Get Its Own Troops?
A key Republican senator thinks so, and is pushing to send one of the U.S. Army’s new advising brigades there.
Ideas
China Is Filling the Africa-Sized Gap in US Strategy
While U.S. troops fight terror groups, Beijing is locking up supplies of raw materials key to the future of defense.
Ideas
African Union Bugged by China: Cyber Espionage as Evidence of Strategic Shifts
A number of African leaders have turned to Chinese investment as a viable alternative to Western development aid. The recent allegations of Chinese cyberespionage of the African Union's headquarters might prompt them to reconsider.
Threats
‘We're Finding It Difficult to Hold’ Territory in Somalia: Senator
Somali government forces, African partner nations, and half a thousand U.S. troops are having trouble holding off the extremists of al Shabaab.
Threats
When the Islamic State Came to Libya
Since the fall of Qaddafi, the war-torn country’s militias have sought to contain extremism. But at what cost?
Threats
US Airstrikes Soar in Somalia
U.S. Africa Command has released data on 18 strikes this year, more than four times the average over the previous seven years.
Threats
Trump’s Policy on Terrorism Suspects Looks Like Obama’s
A captured Benghazi suspect is reportedly being brought to the U.S., which means he will be tried in a civilian court.
Threats
How Somalia’s Deadliest Attack Ever Tore Open the Heart of a Nation
The collective rage over the Mogadishu bombing ignited a renewed sense of unity among Somalis, leading to protests in major cities and the staging of solidarity events.
Science & Tech
How US Special Operators Helped Take Down Joseph Kony’s Army With Tailored Messages
For six years, an elite Army team team waged psychological warfare against a murderous warlord. Here’s how they won.
Threats
Turkey Opens Its Largest Overseas Military Base in Somalia
The military base in Somalia is also a reminder that despite Turkey’s growing regional and national problems, Africa remains central to its global expansion strategy.
Threats
With Terrorism Worsening, Africa's Sahel Countries Need More Than Another Military Coalition
Four and a half years after losing control of northern Mali, jihadists are not only back — they appear to be spreading.
Ideas
How American Special Operators Gradually Returned to Somalia
A U.S. soldier was killed in the country this month for the first time in more than two decades. What was he doing there?
Ideas
South Sudan Needs UN Help. Will Trump’s Ambassador Lead the Way?
The magnitude of the war’s human cost now dwarfs nearly every other global conflict, with the exception of Syria.
Ideas
The Case Against Trump Selling Planes to Nigeria for War with Boko Haram
Some in Washington say that the sign of ‘goodwill’ between the two governments is really a vanity project for Nigeria.
Threats
There's a New Player in the Horn of Africa
UAE is funding ports and military bases in an area already frequented by forces of the United States, Japan, France, Germany, China, and others.
Ideas
Climate Change Is Increasing the Risk of War in Africa: Study
Rising temperatures and changing water patterns are among a host of destabilizing factors, a new study finds.
Ideas
We Welcome China In Djibouti, Just As We Welcomed The West
Djibouti’s foreign minister pushes back on assertions China is elbowing Americans out of the strategic East African footprint.
Ideas
What to Watch Next After ISIS's Boko Haram Coup
Boko Haram’s former leader has not given up his global jihad, despite being snubbed by ISIS in early August.
Ideas
China's Rising Near This Key US War Base. Here's How We Push Back
In Djibouti, where China is building its first overseas naval installation, the US must support democratic processes and hold the government accountable to international law.
Threats