Photo : IFRC
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : IFRC
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
CDC Africa declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo
On 15 May, BBC reported that Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) declared an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri province after around 246 cases and 65 deaths were reported, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara. Preliminary tests conducted by Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed, while additional suspected cases were reported in the provincial capital Bunia. CDC Africa said it was convening a meeting with DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and international partners to coordinate response efforts and cross-border surveillance. Ebola, first discovered in DR Congo in 1976 and believed to have spread from bats, causes severe bleeding and organ failure through contact with bodily fluids, with no known cure. This marks the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak, following the deadliest epidemic between 2018 and 2020 that killed nearly 2,300 people. (“New outbreak of Ebola kills 65 in eastern DR Congo,” BBC, 15 May 2026)
Human Right Watch accuses M23, Rwanda forces of abuses in Uvira
On 14 May, Africa News reported that Human Rights Watch accused March 23 Movement (M23) fighters and Rwandan forces of carrying out widespread abuses during their month-long occupation of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo between December 2025 and January 2026, including summary executions, rape and enforced disappearances. Based on more than 120 interviews conducted in March and April, the report documented over 50 summary killings, at least eight rapes and 12 enforced disappearances, while witnesses described fighters going door to door targeting men and boys accused of links to pro-government Wazalendo militias. HRW said civilians fleeing the city were also fired upon, and survivors of sexual violence had almost no access to medical treatment, including HIV prevention care. The organisation called for independent investigations and stronger international backing for UN-led accountability efforts, while noting that neither the Rwandan government nor M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa responded to requests for comment. (“DR Congo: HRW accuses M23 and Rwandan forces of killings, rape in Uvira,” Africa News, 14 May 2026)
MALI
Malian army launches strikes on rebel-held town of Kidal
On 14 May, Africa News reported that Malian Armed Forces carried out several overnight strikes on the northern desert town of Kidal, which has been under the control of Tuareg rebels and allied JNIM fighters since coordinated offensives across Mali in late April. Residents said at least four explosions were heard overnight, causing material damage including the destruction of a house near a former market and a strike on the governor’s compound, while a Malian army officer said the military was targeting specific objectives and warned that operations would intensify in the coming days. Witnesses described Kidal as unusually calm on Thursday morning with minimal traffic, as the strategically important town - long considered an unofficial headquarters of the Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) - again became a focal point in Mali’s worsening security crisis after previously being retaken by government forces and Russian mercenaries in late 2023. (“Mali's army carries out overnight strikes on rebel-held city of Kidal,” Africa News, 14 May 2026)
CAMEROON
Cameroon uncovers over 200 illegal gold mines
On 14 May, Africa News reported that Cameroon uncovered more than 200 illegal artisanal mining companies following an investigation into discrepancies in the country’s gold sector, with the mines ministry saying over 95 per cent of the firms operating in the eastern and Adamawa regions were foreign-owned, many by Chinese nationals. The probe was launched after official export figures sharply differed from import data reported by other countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates, with Cameroon officially reporting just 22.3 kilograms of gold exports in 2023 while importing countries recorded receiving 15.2 tonnes. Authorities ordered the companies to immediately halt operations, though no sanctions were announced, as analysts warned that weak enforcement, corruption and elite influence continue to fuel informal mining networks and gold smuggling despite reforms introduced under Cameroon’s 2023 mining code. (“Cameroon uncovers more than 200 illegal gold mines, mostly foreign-owned,” Africa News, 14 May 2026)
MOROCCO
Body of second missing US soldier found in Morocco
On 14 May, Africa News reported that the body of the second of two missing United States soldiers participating in the African Lion 2026 military exercises in Morocco had been recovered after a week-long multinational search operation near the Atlantic coast. The US Army said the remains of both servicemembers, including 19-year-old specialist Mariyah Collington whose body was found in a coastal cave on Tuesday, were transferred to a Moroccan military hospital before being flown back to the United States. More than 1,000 US and Moroccan military and civilian personnel participated in the land, air and sea search across over 21,000 square kilometres in the Cap Draa Training Area, while US officials said the incident was believed to be an accident, with investigators examining whether the soldiers may have fallen into the sea. (“Body of second missing US soldier recovered in Morocco,” Africa News, 14 May 2026)