logo
episode-header-image
Today
22m 59s

What’s driving the coordinated attacks a...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

We look at what’s behind the coordinated attacks in Mali by the Azawad Liberation Front and JNIM, which are raising fresh questions about how much control the military-led government really has and whether its alliance with Russia’s Africa Corps is making a meaningful difference in tackling insecurity.

At the same time, condom prices could rise by up to 30%, a growing concern for African countries that rely on imports and shrinking aid. Experts warn this could affect HIV prevention across the continent.

Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Ayuba Iliya and Chiamaka Dike Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Keikantse Shumba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla

Up next
Yesterday
Tanzania’s report on election violence sparks debate
Tanzania is under growing scrutiny after a government report revealed there were 518 deaths during the October 2025 elections. The report says 197 of those killed died from gunshot wounds.However, the report doesn’t say who was responsible for the deaths, recommending further inv ... Show More
22m 58s
Apr 24
Why more men are getting paternity tests
One testing centre in Nigeria told the Focus on Africa Podcast that the number of paternity tests it conducted rose by 28.8% in 2025 compared to the previous year. Focus on Africa Podcast host Nkechi Ogbonna spoke to Peter Ngumba, a lab technologist in Kenya who, through his work ... Show More
22m 59s
Apr 23
Madagascar: Gen Z arrests fuel doubts over military rule
In Madagascar, the arrest of Gen Z protesters is fuelling growing doubts about the military leadership that emerged after the 2025 uprising, as young activists question whether anything has truly changed. Elsewhere on the continent, a new report reveals a deepening economic squee ... Show More
23 m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Zelenskyy Meets Trump, Gaza Latest, More National Guard Troops to D.C.
President Trump will host Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House. Israelis protest to demand a hostage deal as the military and government leaders pursue plans to occupy Gaza City. And growing number of National Guard troops are on their way to the ... Show More
13m 24s
Oct 2025
Trump deploys the National Guard
The president is attempting to send the National Guard into two American cities for two (seemingly) different reasons with two (for now) different results. This episode was produced by Denise Guerra and Danielle Hewitt, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and K ... Show More
25m 55s
Jan 2025
Rwanda, M23, and the battle for DR Congo’s Goma
Bodies are lining the streets of Goma, and hospitals are overwhelmed after an escalation in the long-simmering conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Rwandan-backed M23 group claims it took control of the city, and the DRC has called it a declaration of war b ... Show More
22m 6s
Jun 2025
Why did Trump deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has become a military zone. As citywide protests erupted following ICE raids on local immigrant communities, United States President Donald Trump sent federal forces into the city for the first time in decades. How is this show of force turning immigration raids into ... Show More
22m 14s
Apr 2025
What does the former president's return mean for Congo?
A controversial return. Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila is back home after a self-imposed exile. The government accuses Kabila of backing the M23 rebels who have seized large areas in eastern DRC. So, what does Kabila's return mean for the fragile secu ... Show More
22m 34s
Feb 2025
Guerre en RDC : que veut le Rwanda, à quoi joue la France ?
<p>Au début de l’année 2000, le New York Times parlait de “guerre mondiale africaine” en évoquant le conflit en République démocratique du Congo. Six pays avaient alors leurs armées au sein du pays qui était dirigé par Laurent-Désiré Kabila, chacun jouant sa partition au prétexte ... Show More
36m 19s
Jul 2025
What Does Sudan’s RSF Want?
In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by analyst and researcher Sarra Majdoub to take a closer look at Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their evolving military and political objectives. They discuss the RSF’s recent loss of control in Khartoum to the Suda ... Show More
32m 18s