Africa Conflict-Diplomacy Daily Brief - 11 March, 2026

Executive Summary

Security dynamics across Central and West Africa remain volatile, with simultaneous militant activity, interstate tensions, and counterterrorism operations shaping the regional landscape. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the reported FARDC drone strike in Goma that caused civilian casualties including a UNICEF staff member has intensified political tensions and risks undermining already fragile ceasefire efforts with AFC/M23, while drawing strong international condemnation and renewed scrutiny over the protection of humanitarian personnel. In Somalia, coordinated U.S.–Somali counterterrorism operations against ISIS-Somalia and continued ground offensives against Al-Shabaab indicate sustained military pressure on jihadist groups, suggesting a continued strategy focused on degrading militant strongholds in central regions. Across the Sahel and coastal West Africa, militant groups linked to JNIM and other insurgent networks continue to demonstrate operational reach. Claims of seized military positions in Burkina Faso, attacks in Benin’s Pendjari area, and drone-based strikes in Mali highlight the persistence of asymmetric tactics and cross-border insurgent activity. Meanwhile, diplomatic engagement by the United States with Burkina Faso signals ongoing external efforts to maintain security dialogue with Sahelian authorities despite the region’s shifting political alignments.