Prelude to the Attack In the early hours of Monday, May 12, 2025, fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched a coordinated assault on the Nigerian Army’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State. The attack began around 3:00 a.m., leading…
Introduction In May 2025, Libya’s capital, Tripoli, was engulfed in its most intense fighting in years. The violence, triggered by the assassination of a key militia leader, Nosignals not only a dangerous escalation of militia rivalries but also a critical turning point in the power dynamics of Libya’s fractured political landscape. Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah,…
A Strategy Spinning Out of Control The military junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, rose to power in late 2022 promising to secure the country from jihadist groups. But nearly 40% of Burkina Faso remains outside of state control, plagued by violence from insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. In recent months,…
In a world becoming ever more characterized by multipolar rivalries and realignments of alliances, recent events between the United States, Russia, and China deserve critical analysis from a conflict and international relations perspective. While China and Russia forge a strategic counterbalance against Western primacy, the United States’ pivot in Gaza from UN-led relief mechanisms towards…
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a tourist hotspot in Kashmir, has reignited India–Pakistan tensions, leading to a fresh diplomatic standoff with far-reaching regional implications. Several tourists were killed in the April 2025 ambush, which Indian intelligence links to militants with alleged Pakistani support. India’s Response: Expulsions and Treaty Suspensions In the immediate aftermath, India…
As Ukraine enters its third consecutive year of active conflict, the country’s humanitarian landscape remains deeply complex and increasingly fragile. What began as a large-scale invasion in February 2022 has morphed into a protracted war marked by territorial contestation, institutional strain, and sustained displacement. The latest humanitarian data from multilateral organizations, including UNHCR and OCHA,…
Escalating Conflict and Political Fragility Somalia continues to grapple with chronic insecurity, primarily due to the persistent operations of the armed group Al-Shabaab. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, the group carried out over 120 attacks. The planned withdrawal of the [African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)] raises concerns about a potential…
The Uromi massacre of 27th of March, 2025, when 16 traders were unjustly killed and torched by a mob, is a watershed for Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation. The tragic event is no anomaly – it is symptomatic of systemic failure of governance, mistrust across ethno-sectarian lines, and the lethal spread of extrajudicial violence. Root Causes…
North Korea has once again escalated regional tensions with the recent test of a hypersonic intermediate-range missile, which state media claims can strike targets in the Pacific with unprecedented speed and precision. The launch, supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, marks a significant advancement in Pyongyang’s military capabilities, with far-reaching implications for global…
The return of Donald Trump to the presidency has catalysed significant shifts in U.S. governance, with profound implications for domestic stability and social cohesion. His administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement, restructuring of federal agencies, and assertive military realignment have heightened political polarisation. The near-total downsizing of USAID by 95%, signals a deliberate retreat from international development…
