The growing strategic importance of remote forested areas has prompted governments in the region to designate large swaths of land as military zones, reflecting concerns that insurgent groups are using dense vegetation to plan attacks, move personnel and sustain logistical networks beyond the reach of state forces.

In Mali, authorities this month declared the 80,000-hectare Faya forest and 38 other forests and parks off-limits to civilians, describing them as potential sanctuaries for armed groups. The measure followed a series of major attacks carried out by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the Sahel, and allied Tuareg separatist fighters.

The forests covered by the decree form a broad corridor stretching across southern Mali from the borders with Senegal and Mauritania to Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.

Analysts say such areas provide militants with significant operational advantages. Sparse state presence, limited infrastructure and the absence of permanent settlements make surveillance and enforcement difficult, allowing insurgent groups to establish enduring footholds.

“These are large natural areas that are sometimes not very well controlled by the state,” said Franklin Nossiter, a Sahel analyst at the International Crisis Group. He said the lack of military installations and administrative infrastructure in many forest zones has made them attractive locations for militant activity.

Similar security measures have been implemented in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, where authorities have increasingly restricted civilian access to forested regions associated with militant operations.

In Niger’s Torodi region, a heavily wooded area near the Burkina Faso border, officials have designated sections of territory as restricted military zones due to persistent attacks by armed groups.

Local industry representatives say militants regard logging and transport activities as threats to their shelter networks. A timber sector official told AFP that dozens of trucks had been destroyed and more than 20 transport workers killed in attacks linked to insurgent groups operating in the area.

Security researchers argue that militant organizations now view forests as more than defensive hideouts. Samir Bhattacharya of the Observer Research Foundation said sustained military pressure in urban centers and improved aerial surveillance have encouraged insurgents to establish permanent bases in remote woodland areas.

The terrain also offers economic opportunities. Militants have increasingly exploited informal economies linked to mining, livestock grazing, smuggling routes and poaching to finance their operations and strengthen local influence.

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the continued use of forests and nature reserves by militant groups demonstrates a deliberate long-term strategy rather than temporary adaptation.

JNIM initially expanded through the W-Arly-Pendjari complex of parks and reserves spanning parts of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The region’s proximity to several international borders has enabled insurgents to move across jurisdictions while avoiding concentrated military pressure.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State in the Sahel Province (ISSP) has developed networks in forested and hilly areas along the Niger-Nigeria frontier, conflict monitors say.

Military efforts to dislodge militants have faced significant challenges. Analysts note that dense vegetation reduces the effectiveness of drone surveillance and air strikes, while difficult terrain limits the mobility of armored vehicles and conventional ground forces.

Experts also caution that aggressive counterinsurgency operations in forest areas could carry risks if civilians are harmed or displaced. Such outcomes, they argue, could fuel local grievances and potentially aid recruitment efforts by militant organizations.

The growing contest for control of the Sahel’s forests underscores the evolving nature of the region’s insurgencies, where geography, local economies and weak state presence have become increasingly central to the conflict.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group said Israeli forces attempted to advance toward the hills under the cover of the ceasefire. Hezbollah said its fighters ambushed the troops and engaged them with what it described as “appropriate weapons,” forcing a confrontation in the area.

The group did not provide details on casualties or the duration of the clash, and there was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Hezbollah’s account.

Hezbollah said the incident demonstrated its determination to respond to any perceived violation of Lebanese territory while maintaining its commitment to the existing ceasefire arrangement.

“While it is committed to the ceasefire, it will not be lenient in confronting any enemy attempt to expand its occupation,” the group said in its statement.

The reported confrontation occurred near Nabatieh, a key city in southern Lebanon that has frequently been affected by hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The Ali Taher hills are considered strategically significant because of their elevated position overlooking surrounding areas.

The claim came hours after reports of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, where smoke was seen rising from areas around Nabatieh. The latest developments underscore the fragility of the ceasefire and the continuing risk of renewed escalation along the Israel-Lebanon frontier.

Neither side immediately released independent verification of the events described by Hezbollah.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that Sudan’s conflict had expanded and intensified, with armed groups increasingly using drones in attacks.

The UN rights office documented more than 1,000 civilian deaths linked to drone strikes between January and May 2026, Turk said.Sudan has been gripped by a prolonged conflict that has caused widespread displacement and a severe humanitarian crisis.

The escalation of drone attacks has added another layer of danger for civilians caught between rival forces, as fighting continues across several parts of the country.

The UN has repeatedly raised concerns over the impact of the conflict on civilians and called for greater protection of non-combatants.

An explosion was heard in the city before a vehicle was seen engulfed in flames, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene. Emergency responders and firefighters rushed to the area, where rescuers were observed pulling two people from the targeted car.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the incident involved “an enemy strike on a car” in the center of Sidon. No immediate information was released regarding casualties or the identities of those inside the vehicle.

Sidon, a major commercial and population center on Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast, has been comparatively less affected than other parts of southern and eastern Lebanon that have experienced repeated Israeli strikes since the escalation of hostilities involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and Israel.

The city hosts the country’s largest Palestinian refugee camp and has also received large numbers of people displaced by ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon.

The strike was the latest reported attack on Sidon after an Israeli strike on a building in the city on May 28 killed five people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Separately on Wednesday, the Israeli military said its forces operating in southern Lebanon detained two individuals who approached troops in the area.

In a statement, the military said soldiers identified two “suspected individuals” near positions where Israeli forces were operating. The individuals were apprehended and transferred to Israel for questioning after troops moved to eliminate any potential threat.

The military did not provide further details regarding the identities of the detainees or the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The developments underscore continuing security tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where military activity and cross-border hostilities have persisted despite international calls for de-escalation.

Health authorities reported 550 confirmed cases as of Sunday, including 101 deaths and 19 recoveries, according to the latest situation update released late Monday. The outbreak was officially declared on May 15.

The vast majority of infections have been recorded in Ituri province, which accounts for more than 90 percent of confirmed cases. Additional cases have been identified in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, while the virus has also crossed into neighboring Uganda.

Officials believe the true number of infections may be higher because the outbreak was detected weeks after transmission had already begun. Response efforts have been further complicated by the absence of an approved vaccine or treatment for the strain responsible for the current outbreak.

The outbreak has been linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or therapeutic treatment currently exists. This differs from the Zaire strain, which was responsible for most of Congo’s previous Ebola outbreaks and for which vaccines and treatments have been developed.

Authorities said the sharp increase in confirmed infections partly reflects expanded diagnostic capacity, which has enabled laboratories to process a backlog of previously collected samples.

Health workers operating in affected areas continue to face significant obstacles. Medical teams have been attacked on multiple occasions by residents frustrated by the outbreak response, while persistent skepticism among some communities has complicated surveillance and containment efforts.

Security concerns remain a major challenge across eastern Congo, where numerous armed groups continue to operate. Ongoing violence has limited access to several affected communities and disrupted disease-monitoring activities.

The World Health Organization said Monday that insecurity is restricting access for response teams, hindering surveillance operations and increasing the risk that new chains of transmission could go undetected.

The agency said the attacks on health personnel underscore the difficulties of responding to a public health emergency in conflict-affected areas and highlighted the importance of cooperation with local leaders and communities.

Eastern Congo has experienced repeated outbreaks of Ebola over the past decade, but health officials warn that the combination of armed conflict, delayed detection and the lack of approved medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain presents a particularly complex challenge for containment efforts.

Algeria-Three members of the Polisario Front, including the son of the movement’s late longtime leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, were killed during an operation targeting Morocco’s defensive barrier in Western Sahara, the independence group said, underscoring continuing tensions in the disputed territory.

In a statement carried by the Sahrawi news agency SPS, the movement said Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz had “fallen on the field of honor.” The Polisario subsequently declared three days of mourning.

Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz was the son of Mohamed Abdelaziz, the historical leader of the Polisario Front and president of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), who led the movement from the territory’s independence declaration in 1976 until his death in 2016.

The Polisario said the 37-year-old officer was killed during military action directed against Morocco’s defense system in the disputed territory. The group provided no additional details regarding the circumstances of the operation.

Spanish media reported that a drone strike attributed to Morocco occurred east of the defensive barrier, although no official confirmation was immediately available.

The structure, commonly known as the Sand Wall, stretches approximately 2,700 kilometers across Western Sahara. Morocco constructed the fortified barrier between 1980 and 1987 to limit incursions by Polisario fighters and secure areas under its control.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony rich in mineral resources, remains one of North Africa’s longest-running territorial disputes. Morocco administers most of the territory, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks independence and claims sovereignty over the region.

A United Nations-backed ceasefire that largely held for nearly three decades collapsed in 2020, prompting the Polisario to resume armed operations against Moroccan forces.

The diplomatic landscape surrounding the dispute shifted further last October when the United Nations Security Council, with support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, backed a Moroccan proposal that would grant Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

The latest fatalities highlight the continuing security risks in the territory despite ongoing international efforts to find a political solution to the decades-old conflict.

The attacks occurred between May 31 and June 3, coinciding with voting in Ethiopia’s parliamentary elections on June 1, which the OLA had previously threatened to disrupt. While authorities confirmed the incidents and blamed the insurgent group, they did not provide an official casualty figure.

Witnesses in Arsi zone told AFP that OLA fighters attacked the village of Eleta Chefa on multiple occasions, killing residents and forcing thousands to flee. Two residents said they personally knew 11 people who were killed during the assaults.

A medical worker who treated victims from several affected communities said he had counted 56 deaths and approximately 50 injuries linked to attacks across multiple localities during the four-day period. The figures could not be independently verified because access to conflict-affected areas remains heavily restricted and official information has been limited.

One survivor said armed militants used rifles to target residents, adding that Orthodox Christians, whom attackers allegedly viewed as sympathetic to the federal government, were among those targeted. He also said Muslims who attempted to protect their neighbors came under attack.

The witness estimated that as many as 3,000 people, including women, children and elderly residents, fled the area following the violence. Another resident said Eleta Chefa was attacked twice, on May 31 and June 1, and reported extensive destruction of homes, crops and livestock.

The medical worker said many displaced residents remained scattered across forests, churches and relatives’ homes, complicating humanitarian assistance efforts. He described treating injuries caused by rifle fire, heavy weapons and sharp-edged weapons.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office issued a statement on Friday expressing condolences to victims and their families, while reaffirming the government’s position that the attacks were carried out by the OLA.

The OLA rejected accusations of responsibility in a statement posted on X, instead accusing government authorities of fueling communal violence in the region.

The violence highlights the continuing instability in parts of Oromia despite the federal government’s broader efforts to consolidate control following years of conflict across Ethiopia. The OLA, which the government has designated a terrorist organization, has expanded significantly since 2018 and remains one of the country’s most active insurgent movements.

Although the group is not considered capable of threatening the federal government directly, it has repeatedly been linked to deadly attacks and insecurity across Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest regional state.

Official election results have yet to be announced, though Prime Minister Abiy’s Prosperity Party is widely expected to secure another commanding victory, extending its dominance of Ethiopian politics despite ongoing security concerns in several parts of the country.

In separate warnings posted on social media, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged civilians to leave targeted areas immediately and move to safer locations ahead of anticipated strikes.

The initial warning covered 10 villages, most of them located in southern Lebanon, where residents were instructed to relocate at least 1,000 meters from their homes. The Israeli military said the measures were necessary because of what it described as Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Later in the day, Adraee issued a second evacuation notice directed at residents of one building in Rashidiyeh and two buildings in Burj Al-Shamali, both near the city of Tyre. The military alleged that the sites were located near facilities used by Hezbollah and ordered residents to move at least 300 meters away.

The warnings marked the latest escalation in a conflict that has continued despite a ceasefire that came into force on April 17. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire on an almost daily basis since then, raising concerns about the stability of the truce and the potential for broader regional escalation.

Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted locations in and around Tyre that they say are connected to Hezbollah operations. The strikes have caused significant damage in several neighborhoods and contributed to recurring waves of civilian displacement.

Lebanese authorities say Israeli military operations since early March have killed more than 3,100 people, although the figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The casualty toll has become a central point of contention as diplomatic efforts to reinforce the ceasefire continue.

The Israeli military separately announced that one of its soldiers was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday. According to Israeli figures, the death brought to 23 the number of soldiers killed since the outbreak of hostilities with Hezbollah. One civilian contractor has also been reported killed.

The latest evacuation orders came as Lebanon observed Resistance and Liberation Day, a national holiday commemorating Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. Lebanese leaders used the occasion to call for solidarity with communities affected by the continuing violence rather than celebrations.

The renewed warnings underscore the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the persistent security challenges along the Israel-Lebanon border, where military activity and civilian displacement remain ongoing concerns.

In a report released Tuesday, the medical charity, also known as Doctors Without Borders or MSF, said armed actors and authorities were obstructing humanitarian access to contested regions and opposition-held territories despite severe civilian needs in the country.
MSF said the South Sudanese government had blocked the organization from accessing Akobo town in Jonglei state, an area affected by recent fighting where the group supports one of the region’s few functioning hospitals.

The organization also documented attacks on MSF facilities between January 2025 and April 2026, estimating that approximately 762,000 people lost access to healthcare services as a result of the violence and operational disruptions.

South Sudan has remained unstable since gaining independence in 2011, descending into civil war marked by ethnic violence, political rivalry and widespread humanitarian crises. Fighting has intensified again over the past 18 months between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and armed groups aligned with his longtime rival Riek Machar.

According to conflict monitoring organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, violence has been reported in 73 of South Sudan’s 79 counties.
MSF said all parties involved in the conflict appeared to be using humanitarian access and aid operations to pursue military and political goals, a trend the organization described as deeply concerning given the country’s worsening humanitarian conditions.

The warning comes as international aid agencies face growing funding constraints and donor fatigue, prompting some organizations to scale back operations in South Sudan.

Senior US State Department official Nick Checker recently accused the South Sudanese government of making “insincere promises of reform” to secure international funding while obstructing lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

The United States Embassy in South Sudan said in April that the humanitarian crisis continued to deteriorate despite billions of dollars in oil revenue and foreign aid flowing into the country.

The United Nations estimates that nearly two-thirds of South Sudan’s population faces acute hunger, with insecurity, displacement and economic collapse compounding one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group said its fighters targeted the Ya’ara barracks with what it described as “a swarm of attack drones” after earlier announcing several operations against Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon near the border area.

The reported strike comes amid ongoing clashes that have persisted since fighting escalated on March 2, undermining efforts to stabilize the border despite ceasefire arrangements aimed at limiting further escalation between the two sides.

Hezbollah said Israeli troops remained deployed in areas of southern Lebanon close to the frontier, where exchanges of fire and military operations have continued in recent weeks.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Hezbollah’s reported drone attack or claims regarding operations near the Ya’ara barracks in northern Israel.

Cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified alongside broader regional tensions linked to conflicts involving Iran-backed groups across the Middle East, raising concerns about a wider confrontation along Israel’s northern frontier.