For decades, Morocco has had a dispute over Western Sahara, where rebels demanded independence. Morocco has controlled all the valuable parts of the land, but the rebels had the desert and help from neighboring Algeria. Recently, Morocco has gained more and more international support for its claim, culminating in a UN Security Council vote in favor of its claims, with help from the United States.
Israel recognized Somalia’s breakaway region, Somaliland, as an independent country. No other UN country has done so. Somaliland declared independence in 1991.
Russia intervenes in Africa not just for control over resources, but to compete against the West for influence. Russia can avoid sanctions and global condemnation by having African countries vote with them. Russia uses private military companies that in theory are independent, but in reality are arms of the Russian state.
Nigeria’s violence involves herders fighting farmers. Herders have the military advantage so more often slaughter farmers than the other way around.
There’s a variety of violence and not all of it fits the herder VS farmer paradigm, and some of it is religiously motivated or facilitated.
A majority of people killed are Muslim. However, farmers tend to be Christian, and herders tend to be Muslim. The conflict is not a simple Muslims slaughtering Christians fight, but a lot of people are dying and the Nigerian government is too weak to stop it.
The people killing Christians in Nigeria are Boko Haram. Boko Haram is a part of ISIS, and they are killing all sorts of people, not just Christians. They are rebels against the Nigeria government. Yet, Trump talks like the government is doing or aiding this. Hurting the government would weaken its ability to fight Boko Haram, potentially leading to more innocent deaths. Nigeria said they welcome help to fight Boko Haram.
Massacres in Sudan are so extreme that the blood can be seen from satellite. Outside groups are supporting different sides. They are massacring unarmed civilians.
“Al Qaeda militants are moving closer to seizing the capital of the West African nation of Mali, which, should the city fall, would become the first country in the world run by the U.S.-designated terrorist group.
The rapid advance of the jihadists in Africa comes after Islamist groups took power in both Afghanistan and Syria, but, if they take Bamako, it would be the first time militants with direct and current connections to al Qaeda achieve such a feat.”