After a weekend of co-ordinated attacks across Mali by separatist fighters and Islamist militants, Russian forces who are in the country helping protect the military government have confirmed they have pulled out of the northern city of Kidal. …
Russian fighters confirm withdrawal from northern Mali city after separatist attacksNamibia Minute.
Monday, 11 May 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 11 May 2026
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Organization
Islamic State
Also known as: IS · ISIS · Islamic State group · Islamic State affiliates · Islamic State in the Greater Sahara · ISGS · IS group · IS jihadists
Militant organization conducting operations in Somalia and Niger; targeted by US drone strikes and military cooperation with regional forces.
In coverage
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
- April 2026
Mali’s defence minister has been killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near the capital Bamako. …
Mali defence minister killed as country hit by wave of rebel attacksMali’s defence minister has been killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near the capital Bamako. …
Mali defence minister killed as country hit by wave of rebel attacks- March 2026
ACCRA – Ghana and the European Union on Tuesday signed their first formal defence partnership, as the country presents itself as a regional bulwark against the growing jihadist violence roiling West Africa. …
Ghana, EU sign first accord to counter West Africa insecurityIn Somalia’s remote al-Miskad mountains, a group of soldiers huddles around a small hand-held screen, tracking Islamic State group fighters on a drone feed. …
‘We will go wherever they hide': Rooting out IS in Somalia- February 2026
NIGERIA – The northern Nigerian state where the United States staged Christmas Day air strikes targeting Islamist militants is preparing for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and trying to banish thoughts of the violence that has plagued the region. …
Nigerian Muslims look to Ramadan for peaceWASHINGTON – The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train its armed forces in their fight against jihadist groups, Nigerian and US officials said Tuesday, as Washington increases military cooperation with the West African country. …
US deploys 200 troops to train Nigerian military… Officials have blamed extremist groups for the attack and deployed an army battalion to Kwara’s Kaiama constituency. …
Gunmen kill dozens in Nigeria as US military deployment confirmedThe US has declared a stark policy shift towards three West African countries which are battling Islamist insurgents and whose military governments have broken defence ties with France and turned towards Russia. …
Three West African juntas have turned to Russia. Now the US wants to engage them- January 2026
ABUJA – The US military is increasing materiel deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria, Africom’s deputy commander told AFP, as part of a broader American push to work with African militaries to go after Islamic State-linked militants. …
US military working with Nigeria
World & Region
Russian forces withdraw from Mali's Kidal after weekend separatist attacks
The News
Russian forces have confirmed withdrawal from the northern Mali city of Kidal following coordinated weekend attacks by separatist and Islamist groups. The Azawad Liberation Front claimed control of the city and said the Russian troops agreed to a permanent withdrawal.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 28 April
Russian forces withdraw from Mali's Kidal after weekend separatist attacks
Russian forces have confirmed withdrawal from the northern Mali city of Kidal following coordinated weekend attacks by separatist and Islamist groups. The Azawad Liberation Front claimed control of the city and said the Russian troops agreed to a permanent withdrawal.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Monday 27 April
Mali's defence minister killed in suicide truck bombing
Mali's defence minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near Bamako as part of a wave of coordinated attacks by jihadist militants and separatists across the country. The attack, launched by militants affiliated with al-Qaeda, also killed at least three of Camara's family members, and the head of the military junta was moved to a safe location after his home was targeted.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Mali defence minister killed in suicide truck bombing
Mali's defence minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near Bamako, part of a wave of coordinated attacks by jihadist militants and separatists across the country. The attack, claimed by al-Qaeda-affiliated militants, also killed at least three of Camara's family members.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Thursday 26 March
Ghana and EU sign inaugural defence partnership against jihadist violence
Ghana and the European Union signed their first formal defence partnership agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence sharing and crisis response, as coastal West African nations seek to prevent spillover of violence from the Sahel region. The deal includes a 50 million euro support package with communication systems, boats, drones and other equipment to bolster Ghana's security capacity.
26 March 2026 · New Era →
Monday 16 March
Puntland forces battle Islamic State in remote Somali mountains
Somalia's Puntland Defence Forces, supported by US drone strikes and intelligence, are conducting sustained military operations against Islamic State fighters entrenched in the al-Miskad mountains. Though IS-Somalia's local threat capacity has diminished, the group remains a resilient organisation and continues to serve as a hub supporting Islamic State affiliates across Africa and beyond.
16 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 17 February
Nigerian Muslims seek peace through Ramadan amid US strikes
In Nigeria's Sokoto state, Muslims are preparing for Ramadan and hoping for peace following US air strikes on December 25 targeting Islamic State militants. Residents say the strikes were unprecedented for the region and are cautiously optimistic that the holy month will mark the beginning of lasting peace.
17 February 2026 · New Era →
Thursday 12 February
US to deploy 200 troops to train Nigerian military forces
The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to provide training and technical support in the fight against jihadist groups, supplementing a smaller existing team. The deployment, expected within weeks, will help Nigerian forces coordinate operations involving air strikes and ground troops simultaneously.
12 February 2026 · New Era →
Thursday 5 February
Dozens killed in Nigeria village attacks; US troops confirmed
Gunmen attacked two villages in Nigeria's Kwara state, killing dozens according to authorities and rights groups, with death tolls ranging from 35 to over 170 as reported by different sources. The attacks coincide with Nigeria's defence minister confirming a small team of US troops is in the country for intelligence support and training.
5 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Monday 2 February
US shifts policy toward West African juntas aligned with Russia
The Trump administration is signalling a new approach to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—military-run states that have expelled France and turned to Russia for defence support. The US is prioritizing security cooperation and counter-terrorism over previous concerns about democracy and human rights, and aims to balance Russian influence in the region through intelligence and weapons support.
2 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Tuesday 27 January
US military deepens cooperation with Nigeria against extremists
The US military is increasing materiel deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria to counter Islamic State-linked militants, according to Africom's deputy commander, as part of broader American efforts to work with African militaries. The cooperation includes recent joint strikes and focus on intelligence support for Nigerian operations in the northwest and northeast, though analysts question whether air support alone can address armed groups rooted in poverty and state collapse.
27 January 2026 · New Era →
Thursday 22 January
Nigeria police admit dozens abducted from churches
Nigerian police reversed course Tuesday, acknowledging that gunmen had abducted over 100 people from multiple churches in Kaduna state during Sunday mass, after initially denying any kidnapping occurred. The admission came after pressure from Christian leaders and a UN security report, with police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin citing earlier remarks as a "measured response" pending confirmation.
22 January 2026 · New Era →