Countries: Sudan, Benin, Chad, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia Source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Please refer to the attached file. The war in Sudan spilled over into Chad, and Maiduguri in Nigeria faced simultaneous attacks from Boko Haram and ISWAP. Authors Ladd Serwat Senior Analyst, Africa Jalale Getachew Birru Senior Analyst, East Africa Héni Nsaibia Senior Analyst, West Africa Peter Bofin Senior Analyst, Southeast Africa Benin: JNIM sustains its offensive in the north On 4 and 7 March, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) launched large-scale attacks on Beninese military positions in Kofouno and at the former Pendjari Lodge in Alibori and Atacora departments. The attacks targeted military camps in the natural reserves of Park W and Pendjari, resulting in the destruction of infrastructure and the capture of weapons and military equipment, including an M113 armored personnel carrier. Authorities reported that the military killed 21 militants, while JNIM claimed to have killed 11 soldiers in the two attacks. These latest attacks follow a series of incidents throughout February, including an ambush on a military patrol, attacks on police and customs stations, a Chinese-run construction site, and a school in northern Benin. JNIM’s campaign in Benin is part of a regionwide offensive launched in early February after the defection of a senior JNIM commander , Sadou Samahouna, to the group’s jihadist rival, Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), and follows a months-long lull in JNIM operations in Benin after a series of attacks along the Benin-Nigeria border between June and November 2025. The campaign appears aimed at strengthening cohesion and preventing further defections within JNIM’s ranks across key areas of operation. The operations also seem targeted at countering accusations by the defecting commander that JNIM was negotiating truces with Benin and Ivory Coast. Mozambique: Military admits to killing 13 fishers off Cabo Delgado Speaking at a public meeting on 25 March in Mocímboa da Praia, Mozambican military commanders admitted responsibility for killing at least 13 fishers on 15 March. 1 That day, soldiers on a Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM) vessel opened fire on six boats that had sailed south from Mocímboa da Praia to fish in waters close to Macomia district. 2 Just 10 days before, FADM soldiers fired on a fishing boat in the same area, but with no reported fatalities. The 15 March event was the latest in a series of shootings at sea. Since January 2024, soldiers of FADM’s navy have killed at least 85 fishers in 10 separate incidents off the coast of Mocímboa da Praia and Macomia districts. In the five years from 2019 to 2023, FADM targeted fishers just five times, resulting in the deaths of 13 people. The military is keen to restrict movement by traditional fishing boats, as it suspects them of moving supplies and fighters for Islamic State Mozambique, which has maintained a presence along the coast since at least 2023. Despite the killings, fishers continue to take to the sea. Opportunities ashore are few, and many consider the risk to be necessary. See ACLED’s Mozambique Conflict Monitor for more. Niger: ISSP intensifies pressure on the military and security forces in several regions ISSP intensified its violent campaign in Niger, carrying out nine attacks against military and security forces and killing at least 35 personnel, according to the most conservative estimates. ISSP launched a series of attacks on military positions in the cities of Tillaberi and Tahoua and in the town of Ayorou, and carried out deadly ambushes in the rural communes of Sanam, Dioundiou, and Allela, where the militants killed personnel, burned vehicles, and captured weapons. The attacks in the Tillaberi and Tahoua regions reflect the persistently high levels of violence in western Niger, where Tillaberi was the deadliest region in the central Sahel in 2025. At the same time, attacks on positions in population centers illustrate a broader trend of pressure mounting on major cities and towns in the central Sahel region. For example, an assault on Tahoua airport and nearby military facilities on 8 March mirrors the late January attack on Niamey airport, although relatively limited Islamic State claims following the attack, along with the absence of visual evidence when compared to the Niamey airport attack, suggest a less successful outcome. In the wake of successive attacks, Niger announced the establishment of “Domol Leydi,” translated as protectors of the homeland, which are state-backed territorial self-defense groups composed of armed volunteers intended to support the country’s military. 3 Nigeria: Suicide bombings threaten the Borno state capital of Maiduguri On 16 March, three suspected Boko Haram (JAS) suicide bombers detonated explosive devices in Maiduguri at the post office, the Monday market, and at the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, reportedly killi
Related Articles
Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.