Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Breaking / key developments

  1. Zamfara: bandits ambushed a police convoy on the Sokoto-Gusau road in Bakura LGA. The convoy was on its way to secure the APC primary. At least 5 officers, including a DSP, were reportedly killed and others reportedly abducted. TRAC on the ambush
  2. Somalia: Uganda has formally begun withdrawing the UPDF troops it deployed bilaterally, outside the AU mission. Lt Gen Kavuma, who commands AUSSOM, warns that al-Shabaab will likely try to exploit the handover. Dalsan TV
  3. Ethiopia: fighting is under way on several fronts. Fano claims it took Wuchale in South Wollo and cut the Dessie-Woldiya A2 road. The TPLF claims 500 federal soldiers were killed near Aksum. There are also unverified reports of direct clashes between Ethiopia and Eritrea around Tsorona. Fano capture
  4. Sudan: Khartoum has filed complaints with the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council accusing Ethiopia of letting the RSF launch drones from its territory. RSF drones meanwhile hit more power stations in Kassala and Merowe. The New Arab
  5. Yemen and Saudi Arabia: strikes by the Saudi-led coalition hit Ras Issa port and an oil facility in Hodeidah, and the Houthis say 7 people were wounded. Saudi air defences intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile over the south and two drones near Riyadh. Ras Issa strikes
Map of armed group and militia activity from West Africa to the Gulf, 3 November 2026, with numbered incident key
Armed group and militia activity, West Africa to the Gulf, 3 November 2026 (last 24–48 hours).

Nigeria

  1. Surrenders and Safe Corridor: I found no new surrenders, defections or Operation Safe Corridor news in the last 24 hours.
  2. Update on Rafi, Niger State: local reports now put the abduction at 14 Islamiyya pupils and their teacher. They were taken while harvesting maize at Tungan-Bako on 31 October. Rafi update
  3. Sokoto-Gusau road: military sources say troops from the Fangaltama and Gidan Kano forward bases repelled an attack near Kuka Mairaho on 1 November, killing several bandits and rescuing one civilian. Zagazola on Kuka Mairaho
  4. Zamfara: a new bandit leader known as "Kabiru" reportedly abducted 10 travellers on the Gusau-Magami-Dansadau road. TRAC on Dansadau road
  5. Plateau, Mangu: the beheaded body of a herder, Suleiman Haruna, was found at Gyambwas Rigi. He had been missing since 31 October along with 33 cattle. The killing is blamed on suspected Mwaghavul militia, and troops and MACBAN, the cattle breeders' association, have urged no reprisals. Separately, suspected Fulani militia wounded 5 people in Tull village, and troops killed one attacker. Zagazola on Mangu, TRAC on Tull
  6. Plateau, Bokkos: a missing Fulani herder was found dead near Matelem, and Zagazola attributes the killing to Berom militia. Separately, a kidnapped student of Plateau State University was freed after about 21 hours. Zagazola on Bokkos
  7. Kaduna, Sanga: Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) troops, special forces and vigilantes raided Gongoro Fulani settlement after the 31 October attack on the Ungwan Boka checkpoint. They detained 2 suspects, but the rifles taken in that attack haven't been recovered. The OPEP commander has ordered a manhunt. Zagazola on Sanga
  8. Kogi: the army says Operation Whirl Stroke destroyed a kidnappers' camp in Edimogbo Forest, Igala-Mela/Odolu, and recovered ammunition and motorcycles. Zagazola on Kogi
  9. Delta: police killed 2 kidnappers and recovered AK-47s at Ekrerhavwe, Ughelli North. TRAC on Delta
  10. Viral clip to watch: a widely shared video shows a soldier finding ammunition hidden under a woman's hijab, allegedly meant for bandits. Its date and location are unverified. Hijab clip

West Africa coastal / ECOWAS

  1. Burkina Faso-Togo border: unidentified "terrorists" attacked Zambendé, Koulpélogo, on 2 November, and residents fled into Togolese border villages. This comes from a local monitor and is unverified. Intelligency
  2. Western Sahara: MINURSO, the UN mission there, has ended after Russia vetoed its extension. Secretary-General Guterres warns of a risk of escalation. MINURSO ends
  3. Ghana: NAIMOS teams working against illegal mining met armed resistance at Ayikuma, Subin Akwaaboso and Nipanekuro. Ghana mining clashes

AES / Sahel

  1. Mali, Mopti: JNIM claims a mortar attack on a base shared by the Malian army and Africa Corps at Konna, and an IED on one of their vehicles on the Sévaré-Konna road. It also claims it took a Dozo militia base at Baïma. These are JNIM claims, relayed by TRAC. Konna claims, Baïma claim
  2. Mali, Ségou: JNIM claims it took an army post at Sarkala. Sarkala claim
  3. Mali: footage shows Africa Corps Su-24 jets striking FLA and JNIM, with no location given. Pro-junta accounts claim a major FLA and JNIM weapons cache was destroyed. OSINTWarfare
  4. Update on Burkina Faso, Gourma: IS Sahel now claims more than 400 JNIM fighters were killed in the October fighting at Gonadaouri, and that it seized 473 weapons and more than 100 motorcycles. This is an IS claim and unverified. Pro-AES pages also claim soldiers have deserted the Burkinabè army after JNIM called on them to lay down arms, which is unverified too. Sahelinfo223, Sahel Alerte

Lake Chad Basin / MNJTF

  1. There were no new fighting reports in the last 24 hours. A regional forum on youth employment, cross-border trade and resilience in the Lake Chad Basin opens today in Yaoundé and runs until 5 November. EU in Cameroon

CAR

  1. Nothing significant was confirmed. An undated, unverified video shows a convoy of MINUSCA's Moroccan contingent exchanging fire. The UN Special Representative, Valentine Rugwabiza, discussed how the mission will be restructured following the Security Council session. Radio Guira

Sudan

  1. RSF drones hit power stations at Aroma and New Halfa in Kassala and at Merowe in Northern State on 2 November. Sudanese monitors count 17 power stations hit in 10 states in under two weeks. Sudan Axis, AfriMEOSINT
  2. Khartoum's complaints allege that 187 RSF drones were launched from Ethiopian territory, including from Assosa, causing about 484 civilian casualties. Ethiopia denies this. Sudan's complaints
  3. The Sudanese army says it shot down a drone in West Kordofan, and the monitor CVMAS reports attacks on civilians around Ayal Bakhit in the same state. Asharq

East Africa

  1. Somalia: TRAC logged a cluster of al-Shabaab attacks on 2 November. These included:TRAC on Somalia
    • IEDs against a convoy of NISA (the intelligence agency) special forces near Qalmo, Middle Shabelle;
    • an IED against a militia vehicle between Harardhere and El Hur, Mudug;
    • assaults on militia bases at Ceelwaaq in Gedo, and at Mubaarak and Bariire in Lower Shabelle;
    • the assassination of a NISA member in Janale.
  2. Update on Somalia: the Ugandan withdrawal is under way and the first group of troops is home. Gorgor units, Somalia's US-trained special forces, have deployed to Baraawe to take over from the Ugandans, which raises concern about security on the Lower Shabelle roads. Puntland is sending 100 troops for US training. Chris Magezi, Baidoa Online
  3. Kenya: al-Shabaab assaulted a Kenya Defence Forces base in the Sarirah area of Garissa County. TRAC on Garissa
  4. Ethiopia: Fano claims it holds Wuchale and an army compound there, and residents allege that army drone strikes caused civilian casualties. The TPLF claim of 500 soldiers killed near Aksum is unverified, and Addis Ababa hasn't commented. WHO chief Tedros warns the health system in the north is close to collapse. TPLF claim
  5. Mozambique, Cabo Delgado: 4 people were reported killed in a new attack in Muidumbe. IS-Mozambique beheaded 2 Christians in Mueda and clashed with local militia at Ntuchi. Aly Caetano, TRAC on Mozambique
  6. Uganda: retired Lt Gen Peter Elwelu has been arrested on suspicion of subversion in Teso, and 15 guns were recovered. Elwelu arrest
  7. Piracy: the Indian Navy freed 20 Iranian crew of the fishing vessel Azini, which Somali pirates had hijacked. Azini rescue

GCC

  1. Saudi Arabia: a Houthi ballistic missile was intercepted after alerts in Najran, Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif, with no casualties. Two drones were destroyed in the Riyadh region, and no one has been confirmed as responsible. A weekly tracker says Houthi launches fell by about a third compared with the previous week, with at least 30 intercepted. Hexagone Intel, Martin Kelly
  2. Yemen: besides the coalition strikes on Ras Issa and Hodeidah, Houthi FPV drones (small first-person-view attack drones) struck government forces east of al-Jawf. Al-Jawf strikes
  3. Diplomacy: China is sending its envoy Zhai Jun to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia this month. Saudi and US officials reviewed military cooperation against the Houthi threat. ME Brief

IHL / humanitarian

  1. At the Security Council's open debate on women, peace and security, the ICRC urged states to build gender analysis into how they assess harm to civilians and plan operations. It also called for scenario-based training of armed forces and groups to prevent sexual violence. ICRC statement
  2. The ICRC also discussed IHL and autonomous weapons with armed forces and weapons developers at the SOFEX 2026 defence exhibition in Aqaba. Its Digital Emblem project, a digital version of the protective Red Cross emblem, was presented in Wuzhen. ICRC news
  3. There were no new items on Shariah and IHL.

General Nigeria

  1. INEC faces concerns over AI-generated photos in the voter register and over collection of voter cards (PVCs). Ishaku Audu headlines
  2. The federal government is tightening payroll checks, and the ₦70,000 transport allowance remains a live labour issue. NUPRC, the upstream petroleum regulator, has opened 40 oil blocks to investors. These are from the same thread.
  3. The NCDC's monitoring of Ebola contacts is expected to end on 13 November, also from the same thread.
  4. President Tinubu marked the Sultan of Sokoto's 20 years on the throne. The Zamfara governor's gift of SUVs to 19 emirs drew criticism. Sultan's anniversary, Zamfara SUVs.