Today in Africa — December 18, 2025: M23 Retreats, Darfur Massacre, Morocco Rights Outcry

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

M23 Says It Is Withdrawing From Uvira After U.S. Pressure, DRC Urges Caution

M23 rebels say they have begun pulling out of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Uvira and plan to complete the withdrawal today, Thursday, December 18, following pressure from the United States. The Rwanda-backed group seized the strategic border city near Burundi last week, just days after Congolese and Rwandan leaders signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal in Washington. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa says the pullout is underway “for the sake of peace,” while a spokesperson says the move is meant to support mediation efforts.

The Congolese government says the withdrawal claim needs verification and warns it could be a diversion. Residents told the BBC that some M23 forces appeared to be leaving, but others were still visible around the city, including police units linked to the group. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya says authorities needed proof that fighters had fully withdrawn and questioned what they might leave behind. The Uvira offensive killed dozens of people, wounded more than 100, and displaced over 200,000, according to the U.N., with at least 30,000 civilians fleeing into Burundi.

UN Report Says RSF Killed Over 1,000 Civilians in Darfur Displacement Camp

More than 1,000 civilians were killed when Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces overran the Zamzam displacement camp in Darfur in April, according to a new report from the United Nations Human Rights Office. The camp, which housed nearly half a million people displaced by war, had been cut off from food and aid for months before the April 11–13 assault. The UN says RSF fighters carried out direct attacks on civilians, with survivors reporting killings, rape, torture, and abductions. At least 319 people were summarily executed inside the camp or while trying to flee.

The findings are based on interviews with 155 survivors and witnesses who escaped to Chad. UN rights chief Volker Türk says the deliberate killing of civilians may amount to war crimes. The RSF did not respond to the report but has previously denied targeting civilians. The attack on Zamzam came ahead of a later RSF offensive on El Fasher in October, where thousands are feared killed or abducted. Separately, the UN said this week that drone attacks killed more than 100 civilians in Sudan’s Kordofan region earlier this month.

Morocco Faces Rights Outcry Over Arrests and Abuse of Gen Z Protesters

Human rights groups in Morocco are accusing authorities of arbitrarily detaining hundreds of Gen Z protesters and subjecting some to severe abuse following youth-led demonstrations over underfunded healthcare and education. The protests, known as “Gen Z 212,” swept the country in late September and early October, the largest unrest since 2011. Rights groups say thousands were arrested, with reports of beatings, forced confessions, harassment of female protesters, and detainees held without food or water. Amnesty International says more than 2,400 people are being prosecuted, including minors, and dozens have already received prison sentences, some as long as 15 years.

Tensions have remained high as Morocco prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations, with renewed protests calling for the release of detainees and accountability for security forces. Three protesters were killed during an October 1 demonstration near Agadir, and at least 14 others were injured, according to rights groups, while authorities say police responded after a station was attacked. The government denies abuses, insisting legal procedures were followed and trials were fair, and says it has committed to social reforms and higher spending on public services. Rights groups counter that fear, intimidation, and a lack of transparency continue to silence many families and young activists.

Nigerian Air Force Personnel Detained in Burkina Faso Have Been Released

Burkina Faso’s military government has released 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel who were detained ten days ago for landing without permission. A statement from Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said the matter has been resolved “through sustained dialogue” and that it reaffirms “the effectiveness of diplomacy in addressing sensitive issues.” The personnel were released after a delegation led by Tuggar visited Burkina Faso’s military government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, and formally apologized to the junta. The released crew is expected to continue to Portugal on its non-combat mission before returning to Nigeria.

U.S. Condemns South Africa Over Detention of Refugee Officers Tied to Afrikaner Program

The United States has condemned South Africa after it said two U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers were briefly detained during a raid linked to a controversial U.S. refugee program for white Afrikaners. U.S. officials say the officers were released, while South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry insists no Americans were arrested. The incident followed South Africa’s move to arrest and deport seven Kenyan nationals accused of illegally working on U.S. refugee application processing. Washington says the officers were providing humanitarian support and criticized the public release of their passport details as harassment, calling on Pretoria to act. South Africa rejected claims of wrongdoing, denied state involvement in any data breach, and said it would seek clarity through diplomatic channels, as tensions grow over the Trump administration’s claims that Afrikaners face persecution, an allegation South Africa strongly disputes.

Zambia Expands Parliament Ahead of 2026 Vote, Drawing Opposition Pushback

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has signed constitutional amendments expanding parliament from 167 to about 280 members, a move critics say could tilt the field ahead of elections in August 2026. The changes create new constituencies, reserve 40 seats for women, youth, and people with disabilities, and increase presidential appointments from eight to 11. The Catholic Church, civil society groups, and opposition figures argue the reforms were rushed and could favor the ruling party, especially through constituency redrawing in its strongholds. Hichilema, who is seeking a second term, says the changes were made in good faith to improve service delivery in oversized constituencies, though concerns persist as the country continues to recover from a prolonged debt crisis.

Guinea’s Simandou Mine Begins Exports as Thousands of Jobs Are Cut

Guinea’s long-delayed Simandou iron ore project has started exports but is laying off thousands of workers, raising fears of social fallout just weeks before national elections. Employment at the mega mine peaked at more than 60,000 during construction in 2024 and 2025, but fewer than 15,000 jobs will remain once operations stabilize, according to workers and company sources cited by Reuters. In hubs like Dantilia and Kamara, most workers have already been dismissed, with more cuts expected. The project, run by consortia led by Rio Tinto and China-backed Winning Consortium Simandou, is set to produce about 120 million tons of iron ore a year, yet the sudden drop in jobs has fueled concerns about accidents and unrest along the new railway. The military government says future infrastructure projects and a long-term “Simandou 2040” plan will create new work, but with more than half of Guineans living in poverty, many former workers say there are no immediate alternatives.

Manchester Museum Doesn’t Know Origins of Thousands of African Objects In Its Possession

Curators at the Manchester Museum are hoping that an “honest approach” will lead to the start of identifying thousands of African objects that have now gone on display. The curators have admitted that they have almost no record of where the objects came from, saying that they were “given, stolen, and forcefully taken” at the height of the British Empire. Curator Lucy Edematie called the display of the objects “a chance to do our thinking in public, with honesty and transparency, and to involve people in that process from the start.”

More than 40,000 objects from across Africa were taken by trade, while others were taken through anthropology, confiscation, and looting, according to a museum spokesman who spoke to the BBC. Many of the objects were taken out of storage after decades hidden away. A part of the display was co-curated with Igbo Community Greater Manchester (ICM), to highlight the ethnic origins of some of the objects on display. ICM vice-chairwoman Sylvia Mgbeahurike said the museum’s initiative “shows inclusiveness. It shows there is strength in diversity. It shows we are one people. Irrespective of our color or where we are from. Something must hold us together.”