A coup was undergoing in the morning of 7 December 2025 in Benin. Gunshots were reported in Camp Guézo by the French embassy around 9am, close to the Presidential Palace. Soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal TIGRI then announced on national TV that President Talon was dismissed. Although the situation was initially confused, reports emerged that […]
𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗹 (𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿)More than 40 foreign nationals have now been kidnapped across the Sahel since the beginning of 2025, highlighting the increasing threat of militant abductions. In Mali, JNIM has abducted at least 28 foreigners, mainly targeting mining and industrial workers as part of the group’s broader
“𝗔𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀New analysis of data shows how militant networks are expanding southward from the Sahel into the borderlands of Benin, Niger, and Nigeria. Limited state presence, weak border control, and fragmented bandit and hunter groups leave space for expansion. Forest belts offer concealment, mobility, and staging
Proud to share my latest visuals on 🇸🇩 #Sudan for XCEPT’s latest report: “Contested borderlands: Rapid Support Forces governance and negotiated sovereignty in Sudan”. 🔎 Read the report here: https://www.xcept-research.org/publication/contested-borderlands-rapid-support-forces-governance-and-negotiated-sovereignty-in-sudan/
Glad to share my latest visuals for Clingendael’s report: “Trouble at the border: a Nigerian extremist group has also entered Benin”, on violent extremism at the 🇧🇯 #Benin – 🇳🇬 #Nigeria border. 🔎 Read the report here: https://www.clingendael.org/publication/trouble-border-nigerian-extremist-group-has-also-entered-benin
The following countries have urged their citizens to leave Mali, via alerts from their embassies, or through their travel advisories. The US alert from October 28 did have a cascading effect on many other MFAs; but please note that some of them date from before the ongoing fuel blockade. 🇺🇸 USA🇦🇺 Australia🇩🇪 Germany🇯🇵 Japan🇮🇹 Italy🇨🇦
A US citizen was reportedly abducted by unknown armed men around 2:30 a.m. on October 22 in Niamey. The Château I neighbourhood, where he was based, is normally considered as highly secure, due to its proximity of the Presidential Palace, embassies, and key institutions. According to CBS, citing Nigerien sources, the kidnapped American’s phone was
This map was produced in collaboration with XCEPT, as part of their project on the stability and livelihood challenges in Coastal West African borderlands. You can read the associated report here.
Carte du conflit armé au Sahel central (2025): Activité du JNIM et de l’Etat Islamique
Guide GEOINT – Géolocalisation d’une frappe de drone ‘FPV’ du Front de Libération de l’Azawad, à Tessalit (Mali)
