The Africa watch this weekSahel’s Islamists; Cape Town runs out of water; Germany-Namibia genocide talks, and more
· ISIS affiliate claims October attack on U.S. troops in Niger
· Egypt raises “extreme concern” about Nile Dam with Ethiopia
· In Central African Republic, militia violence leaves villages devastated
· Italian lawmakers pass anti-terror military mission to Niger
· Cape Town could become first major city in world to run out of water after 90-day warning
· Britain prepares to send military helicopters for French campaign against Islamists in Sahel
· Tunisia’s rulers fail to live up to Arab Spring promise
· Shabaab forcing civilians to hand over children: HRW
· Zambia: Edgar Lungu’s heavy hand shows in response to cholera outbreak
· At least 15,000 Cameroonian refugees flee to Nigeria amid crackdown
· Tension keeps rising in Cairo over Turkey-Sudan island pact
· Genocide negotiations between Germany and Namibia hit stumbling blocks
ISIS affiliate claims October attack on U.S. troops in Niger (Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times)
A group in northwestern Africa that is loyal to the Islamic State issued a statement on Friday claiming responsibility for the October attack in Niger that killed four American soldiers who were on patrol with Nigerien forces. The statement offered no explanation for the delay in claiming responsibility for the Oct. 4 attack, which American officials had said was probably carried out by the group. “We declare our responsibility for the attack on the U.S. commandos last October in the Tongo Tongo region of Niger,” said the statement, attributed to Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahraoui, who was a member of Al Qaeda’s regional branch before pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, nearly two years ago. The statement was issued to reporters at the Nouakchott News Agency, a website in Mauritania to which fighters from Mr. Sahraoui’s group have previously sent missives.
Britain prepares to send military helicopters for French campaign against Islamists in Sahel (Ben Farmer, Peter Foster, James Rothwell, Telegraph)
Britain will send military helicopters to join a French campaign against Islamist extremists in Africa as London and Paris move to deepen cross-Channel defense ties, the Prime Minister is expected to announce later this week. RAF Chinooks have been offered to transport French troops in discussions ahead of a Franco-British summit on the military, security, space research and immigration. Talks at Sandhurst will see Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron agree closer cooperation on fighting al Qaeda linked militants “at source” in north Africa. The French president on Tuesday also said he will demand Mrs. May take more responsibility for the refugee crisis as he vowed there would be no return of the so-called “jungle” migrant camp in Calais. Around 4,000 French troops are waging a cross-border counter-terrorism campaign throughout the southern Sahara, with forces deployed to back local governments in Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso.
