Photo : BBC
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : BBC
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Morocco: One casualty recorded as wildfires rage across northern mountain forests
On 15 July, Larache regional officials said one person had died in the wildfires sparked on 13 July. At least 1,600 hectares of woodland has been destroyed in Larache, Taza, Tetouan and Ouezzane provinces and 1,100 families have fled. The wildfires were preceded by a heatwave with temperature reaching 45 degree Celsius. (“One dead as Morocco forest fires rage,” France24, 15 July 2022)
Ivory Coast: President meets predecessors Gbago and Bédié
On 14 July, president Alassane Ouattara met with former presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bédié, marking the first meeting between the three political rivals since 2010. Gbagbo termed the meeting "a reunion meeting to renew contact and exchange in truth their views." A government spokesperson said the meeting was in line with recommendations for political dialogue involving the government, opposition and civil society. In 2010, Gbagbo's refusal to concede his presidential position to Ouattara had sparked violence leading to the death of over 3000 people. (Loucoumane Coulibaly, “Ivory Coast President Ouattara meets predecessors in reconciliation drive,” Reuters, 15 July 2022)
Togo: Army admits to killing children in blast
On 14 July, the army admitted to carrying out a blast that killed seven children and wounded two on 9 July in Tone prefecture. The army said they had mistaken the civilians for jihadists after they received intelligence that warned of “infiltration by armed gangs wanting to conduct terrorist attacks” against local communties. The armed forces Chief of Staff said an investigation had been launched to identify the perpetrators. (“Togo army says it was behind blast that killed several civilians,” France24, 15 July 2022)