Today in Africa — December 24, 2025: Libyan Army Chief Killed, Sahel Joint Battalion, Kenyan Gets Life Sentence in US

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.

Libyan Army Chief Killed in Plane Crash After Ankara Trip

Libya’s army chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, was killed yesterday, Tuesday, December 23, when a jet carrying him and four others crashed shortly after leaving Ankara, according to Libya’s internationally recognized government. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said the group was returning from an official visit to Turkey when the aircraft went down near Haymana, outside the Turkish capital, after losing radio contact and requesting an emergency landing. Those on board included the commander of Libya’s ground forces, the head of the military manufacturing authority, an adviser, and a photographer. The cause of the crash is not yet known, and Turkish authorities have opened an investigation.

Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity declared three days of national mourning and sent an official delegation to Ankara to follow the probe. Officials said the Dassault Falcon 50 jet was a leased Maltese aircraft, with questions still surrounding its ownership and technical history. The crash came a day after Turkey extended the mandate for its troops in Libya by two years. Ankara has backed Libya’s UN-recognized government since 2020 and signed disputed maritime and energy agreements with Tripoli, while more recently expanding contacts with Libya’s eastern faction under its “One Libya” policy.

Sahel Alliance Vows Large-Scale Military Operations After Launch of Joint Force

The leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger say a newly launched joint battalion will soon carry out large-scale military operations against extremist groups in the Sahel. Speaking yesterday, Tuesday, December 23, after being named head of the Alliance of Sahel States, Burkina Faso’s military leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré said the force must move quickly from launch to action. The alliance, formed in 2023 after all three countries withdrew from West Africa’s regional bloc, brings together governments that came to power through coups and face persistent attacks from armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

The joint battalion is expected to include about 5,000 troops and follows a summit where the three countries agreed to deepen security and economic cooperation. Niger’s junta leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, said the alliance had ended the presence of “occupation forces,” referring to the expulsion of French and U.S. troops, and insisted the region would no longer take orders from outside powers. The bloc has since turned to Russia for security support. Analysts say the alliance has strong public backing and marks growing coordination among the three states, though they warn the Sahel’s security crisis remains extremely hard to resolve despite shifting alliances.

Kenyan Linked to al-Shabaab Gets Life Sentence in U.S. Over 9/11-Style Plot

A Kenyan national linked to al-Shabaab has been sentenced to life in prison in the United States for plotting a mass-casualty attack aimed at hijacking a commercial aircraft and crashing it into a U.S. building. Cholo Abdi Abdullah, 35, was sentenced by a federal judge in New York after being convicted on multiple terrorism charges, including providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and aircraft piracy. U.S. prosecutors said Abdullah was a trained extremist who intended to die in the attack and was close to completing the requirements for a commercial pilot’s license when he was arrested in 2019.

Court records show Abdullah joined al-Shabaab in 2015, trained in Somalia, and was later selected for an international aviation plot modeled on the September 11 attacks. Between 2017 and 2019, he attended flight school in the Philippines, with his training and living costs funded through al-Shabaab’s extortion network. Investigators said he researched cockpit security, airline hiring, and travel routes into the U.S., and later admitted his plans to the FBI. U.S. officials said the case was disrupted through international cooperation involving U.S., Kenyan, and Philippine authorities, preventing a potential large-scale attack.

Dar es Salaam Water Shortages Strain Daily Life as Drought Bites

Residents of Dar es Salaam are facing severe water shortages as a prolonged dry spell and rising demand leave taps running only once a week — and sometimes not at all — just days before Christmas. City authorities say low rainfall since May has reduced river and groundwater levels, cutting supplies from treatment plants and exposing leaks in the aging network, while fast population growth has stretched capacity even in good years. Many households now rely on private vendors, with water prices jumping from about $4 to $10 per 1,000 liters, hitting low-income families and small businesses hard. Officials admit the city’s heavy dependence on rainfall-fed rivers, especially the Ruvu, has made it vulnerable, and say longer-term fixes — including a new dam and more boreholes — are underway, even as residents call for clearer rationing schedules and faster action.

Rwanda Shuts Thousands of Churches Under Worship Law, Drawing Backlash

Rwanda’s government has closed an estimated 10,000 churches for failing to meet requirements under a 2018 law regulating places of worship, including health and safety standards, financial disclosures, and mandatory theological training for pastors. President Paul Kagame has openly defended the crackdown, accusing some evangelical churches of exploiting people and lacking value to national development, as authorities say the rules are meant to enforce order and accountability. Critics and church leaders argue the closures are about state control rather than compliance, noting that even congregations that met the requirements remain shut, forcing many worshippers to travel long distances to pray. Analysts say the government is wary of independent centers of influence, while officials and academics also link the strict oversight to security concerns rooted in Rwanda’s genocide history and fears that churches could be misused by hostile groups.

Algeria Passes Law Calling French Colonization a Crime, Demands Apology

Algeria’s parliament has unanimously passed a law declaring France’s colonial rule from 1830 to 1962 a crime, formally demanding an apology and reparations for what it describes as mass killings, deportations, torture, nuclear tests, and the systematic plundering of resources. Lawmakers hailed the vote as a defense of national memory, saying France bears legal responsibility for the damage caused, even as analysts note the law is largely symbolic and not legally binding on Paris. The move comes amid strained relations between the two countries and renews long-running disputes over the legacy of the independence war, which Algeria says killed 1.5 million people, a figure French historians dispute. While French President Emmanuel Macron has previously called colonization a crime against humanity, France has stopped short of issuing a formal apology and declined to comment on the vote.

UN Extends AU Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia Through 2026

The United Nations Security Council has agreed to extend the mandate of the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia for another year, keeping the force in place through the end of 2026. The AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM, supports Somali security forces in their fight against the Islamist group al-Shabab, which remains active despite being pushed out of major cities. While council members pointed to progress made since the first AU deployment in 2007, China warned that AUSSOM faces an unsustainable funding gap and urged international donors to urgently meet their financial commitments to keep the mission operational.

Belgium Joins South Africa’s ICJ Case Accusing Israel of Genocide in Gaza

Belgium has formally joined the genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice, the UN’s top court said yesterday, Tuesday, December 23. The intervention adds Belgium to a growing list of countries backing South Africa’s December 2023 filing, which argues Israel’s war in Gaza violates the 1948 Genocide Convention. Israel has rejected the claims. While a final ruling could take years, the court ordered provisional measures in January 2024, telling Israel to prevent acts of genocide and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement. Israel has continued military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite the rulings, as the United States and several European allies maintain support for Israel and reject the case.

Trump Ambassador Recall Leaves U.S. Without Top Envoys Across Much of Sub-Saharan Africa

United States President Donald Trump’s mass recall of ambassadors will leave Washington without top-level diplomatic representation in more than half of sub-Saharan Africa, raising concerns about U.S. influence in a region facing coups, conflicts, and intense global competition. The move, which includes the removal of at least 13 chiefs of mission and brings total vacancies to around 30, comes as the administration shifts from aid to trade and relies on bilateral deals and direct presidential engagement to advance its agenda. Former diplomats warn that the gaps will weaken day-to-day diplomacy, especially as recalled envoys include postings in Nigeria, Rwanda, and Niger, and as the United States Department of State’s Africa Bureau also faces leadership turnover with no Senate-confirmed assistant secretary in place. The administration says its Africa policy is delivering results through commercial, health, and peace agreements, but critics argue the absence of ambassadors risks undermining U.S. efforts to compete with China and manage growing security crises across the continent.