Boeing plane carrying 85 people catches fire and skids off the runway in Senegal, injuring 10

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A Boeing 737 carrying 85 people caught fire and skidded off a runway at Senegal's main airport, injuring 10 people including the pilot, the country's transport minister said Thursday. Passengers were evacuated from the burning aircraft and some described...

An extremist group and ethnic militias committed atrocities in Mali, Human Rights Watch says

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An extremist group linked to al-Qaida carried out mass killings in two villages in central Mali in January, Human Rights Watch said in a report Wednesday, in an apparent war crime that caused thousands to flee their homes. The group known as JNIM killed at least...

Mali says it killed extremist commander who took part in one of worst attacks on US forces in Africa

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A senior Islamic State group commander wanted in connection with one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. forces in Africa was killed in an operation by Mali's security forces, the country's army said. Abu Huzeifa, known by the alias Higgo, was a commander in the...

Laborers and street vendors in Mali find no respite as deadly heat wave surges through West Africa

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Street vendors in Mali's capital of Bamako peddle water sachets, ubiquitous for this part of West Africa during the hottest months. This year, an unprecedented heat wave has led to a surge in deaths, experts say, warning of more scorching weather ahead as effects of climate...

9 bodies found adrift in a boat off Brazil were likely migrants from Mauritania and Mali, police say

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Brazilian police investigating the grim discovery of a boat with several decomposing bodies say they were likely African migrants from Mali and Mauritania. Fishermen off Brazil's northern coastal state of Pará found the boat adrift Saturday in the Atlantic...

Mali's junta bans the media from reporting on political activities in a deepening crackdown

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — In a deepening crackdown, Mali’s ruling junta on Thursday banned the media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations, a day after suspending all political activities in the country until further notice. The order, issued by Mali's...

Mali's ruling junta bans the media from reporting on political activities in the country

Mali's junta suspends all political activities until further notice

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's ruling junta has issued a decree suspending all political activities until further notice, saying it needs to preserve public order, a move that follows last year's decision to call off elections indefinitely. Junta spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga read out the...

In Mali, Russian Wagner mercenaries are helping the army kill civilians, rights groups say

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Russian mercenary group known as Wagner is helping government forces in central and northern Mali carry out raids and drone strikes that have killed scores of civilians, including many children, rights groups said in reports published this week that span the period from...

Attack on Nigerien forces kills 23 soldiers and underscores continued conflict with militants

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — A militant attack on Nigerien forces in a border region near Mali and Burkina Faso killed 23 soldiers, the defense ministry said Friday. The soldiers were taking part in an overnight clearing operation on Tuesday in the country's west when they were ambushed...