Today in Africa — November 5, 2025: New Satellite Images Show Mass Graves in Sudan’s El Fasher, 33 Killed in Chad Intercommunal Clash, AU Says Tanzania Election Failed Democratic Standards

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. 

Satellite Images Point to Mass Graves in El Fasher as Sudan’s War Escalates

New satellite images analyzed by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab today, Wednesday, November 5, suggest mass burials are taking place in Sudan’s El Fasher after the Rapid Support Forces seized the Darfur city, adding to mounting evidence of widespread killings. The Vantor satellite photos show large burial pits near a mosque and a former children’s hospital that the RSF had used as a prison. Earlier images captured what researchers identified as corpses and bloodstains around the Saudi hospital, where hundreds were reportedly killed. Bodies also appeared along a northern berm outside the city, matching videos showing RSF fighters moving among dead and wounded people. Testimonies from survivors and rights groups describe executions of civilians and aid workers.

The scale of the violence remains difficult to assess because communications are nearly cut off, but the UN has warned that the atrocities demand “mechanisms of accountability.” The Associated Press and local media also reported a drone strike at a funeral in el-Obeid that killed at least 40 people, with suspicion falling on the RSF, which has deployed drones in recent offensives. Sudan’s war has already displaced more than 14 million people, pushed parts of the country into famine, and left over 40,000 confirmed dead — a toll aid agencies say is likely much higher.

Intercommunal Clash Kills at Least 33 People in Chad

Local authorities in Chad have confirmed the death of at least 33 people in a clash between herders and farmers. The clash occurred late yesterday, Tuesday, November 4, in Dibebe, about 15 kilometres from Ngoura in the southwestern Hadjer-Lamis province. According to reports, the violent confrontation was sparked by a dispute over a well claimed by two communities, with some witnesses saying the dispute dates back to a 1967 land conflict. In addition to the casualties, more than 20 people were injured.

Despite the deployment of security forces, tensions have been running high in the province. Clashes like this are a frequent occurrence in the central African country; an intercommunal clash took place in June in the country’s eastern region, which resulted in the death of at least 20 people. The conflict, which was reportedly caused by a stolen bike incident, was condemned as “terrorism” by several members of parliament. Following this latest incident, Territorial Administration Minister Limane Mahamat, Justice Minister Youssouf Tom, and other government officials visited the area of the incident to assess the situation and restore calm.

AU Says Tanzania’s Election Failed Democratic Standards as Death Toll Claims Mount

The African Union (AU) observer mission says Tanzania’s October 29 election “did not comply” with regional or international standards, citing ballot stuffing, missing party agents, and observers being expelled during vote counting. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with more than 97% of the vote, but opposition groups — many of whose candidates were barred from running — have accused the government of fraud and documented widespread killings as security forces crushed protests that erupted nationwide.

Opposition party CHADEMA says hundreds have died, while some local lawyers estimate more than 1,000 fatalities, a figure the government dismisses as exaggerated. Foreign governments and the Catholic Church have also cited credible reports of mass deaths, though exact numbers remain unverified amid a six-day internet shutdown and warnings that sharing images could lead to treason charges. Hassan acknowledged lives were lost during her inauguration and urged security forces to restore calm, while the AU called for urgent electoral and political reforms to address the crisis.

U.S. Government Ends Protected Status for South Sudanese Migrants

The Trump administration is officially ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese nationals in the U.S., ending a program that has been in place for over a decade. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the notice earlier today, giving those affected 60 days to leave the U.S. or face deportation starting from early January. This comes on the back of a drastic reduction in the cap of refugees the U.S. wants to allow into the country. Earlier this year, DHS said it wouldn’t renew the TPS of thousands of Cameroonians, while over half a million migrants from Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela have had their TPS designation revoked.

Mauritania’s Ex-President Abdel Aziz Loses Final Appeal, Must Serve 15-Year Sentence

Mauritania’s former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has lost his final appeal against a 15-year prison sentence for corruption, solidifying his conviction for amassing $70 million in illicit assets while in office. Abdel Aziz, who seized power in a 2008 coup and later won two elections before stepping down in 2019, was first sentenced to five years in 2023, but an appeals court increased it to 15 years in May 2025 after he lost an appeal. He was charged in 2021 with illicit enrichment, abuse of functions, influence-peddling, and money laundering alongside 10 other senior officials. Since his conviction, Abdel Aziz has been stripped of his assets and civic rights, while his lawyers maintain the case is politically driven.

Vodacom Reaches Settlement With ‘Please Call Me’ Inventor After 17-Year South Africa Legal Fight

Vodacom says it has reached an out-of-court settlement with former employee Nkosana Makate, ending a 17-year headline-grabbing dispute over his role in creating the company’s “Please Call Me” service. The telecoms giant said its board approved the agreement yesterday, Tuesday, November 4, and has since withdrawn its case at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Johannesburg, though it did not disclose how much Makate will receive. Makate, who once rejected a R47 million (about $2.8 million) offer, argued he was promised a share of the revenue after proposing the call-back idea more than two decades ago. Vodacom will account for the settlement in its financial results due on November 10.

Moroccan Man Sentenced to Prison for Tricking People into Scam Compound

A court in Morocco has sentenced a man to five years in prison for charges of human trafficking. The case involved several young Moroccans who were tricked by an opportunity to work a well-paying job in Thailand, but ended up being trafficked to Myanmar and forced to work in a scam compound, where online fraud is facilitated. Nabil Maofik, the defendant, denied the charges; however, prosecutors said he ran a Facebook group that tricked prospective emigrants and job seekers. “I was just a job mediator. I was getting between $21 and $107 for each person I recruited,” Moafik said. “I did not know that all of this would happen.” He was also fined $107,300.

Libya Detains Senior Police Official Accused of Torture After Italy’s Controversial Release

Libya has detained senior police officer Osama Almasri Njeem months after Italy arrested and quickly repatriated him despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of torture, rape, and murder of detainees at Tripoli’s Mitiga Prison since 2015. Libya’s attorney general said Njeem is now in pretrial detention with evidence linking him to abuses against ten inmates, including one who died from torture. Njeem, who heads the Operations and Judicial Security Department in Tripoli’s justice ministry, was freed by Italy in January on what the Meloni government called “procedural grounds,” prompting political uproar and an ICC complaint. Italy has not commented on his new arrest as Libya continues to struggle with fragmented authority and weak rule of law since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.