Here’s a colourful, fascinating and insightful moment with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in Ethiopia, as they get excited about a DShK heavy machine gun. Notice their “style” of appearance. Re: ‘The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA); Oromo: Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, WBO) is an armed opposition group active in the Oromia…
Tag: Africa
History, Conflict, Terrorism, Political Talk and Anecdotes
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In the Shadows of War, a Photo of a NIF POW of The SPLA, Operation Thunderbolt
I took this photograph during Operation Thunderbolt’s (OTB) offensive (9 March – late April 1997) in the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983 to 2005) in the town of Yei. I was in the area working on a report. The SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) leadership in the area had decided…
China-Egypt
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The Sino-Egyptian Cautious Partnership
In early July last year, Sino-Egyptian relations leaped forward after Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Cairo, fresh from the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. On September 1 to 2, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited…
Close Protection
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Think Close Protection Is All Adventure? Think Again.
A friend and colleague of mine took this photograph while on a certain task as a Close Protection (CP) operative in an African country, where we were working. Perhaps because I know my colleague in the photo well, and because many of us, including me, had been on this same…
Mali
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TNYS Report: ‘If Mali Falls to Al Qaeda, the Shock Waves Will Spread to the Coastal States and Beyond’– In this Report I Share a Couple of Variables
‘While a government collapse is not considered an immediate worry for the White House, it is one that world leaders cannot ignore.’ In this well-written report by Hollie McKay, I share a couple of variables to consider regarding the virtual siege that is happening around the capital Bamako, and the chance…
Africa
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The Washington Post: Trump threatens potential military action in Nigeria, says aid will cease
Wow. This sounds serious. Some of us might remember back to 2015 when STTEP PMCs went in to help Nigeria, and almost destroyed the Jihadi terrorist group Boko Haram, until the STTEP were inexplicably told to stand down and leave. This was the kiss of life for Boko Haram. –RdM…
Mali
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Great Report about PMCs Arms Control and Wagner in Mali, But Falls Short Understanding Arms Procurement Processes and Usage
This is an interesting and very insightful report by Global Initiative called ‘Private military companies and arms control challenges, The Wagner group in Mali‘. There is a bit in the report about Russians not getting along with the Malian troops are entirely in line with expectations. In Mozambique a few…
ISIS
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By Death or Surrender, Some ISIS Key Leaders Have Bit the Dust in the Deserts of the Sahel
Al Qaeda in the Sahel, i.e. Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), appears to be making worrisome gains and garnering more attention these days than ISIS, i.e. Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS). This report about ISGC leaders being taken out or surrendering might be indicative of their situation. –RdM…