标签： Africa

A Nigerian Air Force aircraft was compelled to execute an emergency landing in Burkina Faso late Monday, triggering heightened military alerts across the Sahel region. The incident occurred when the Nigerian plane experienced an undisclosed in-flight emergency while en route to Portugal, necessitating an immediate diversion to the nearest available airfield in Bobo-Dioulasso, western Burkina Faso.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, responded by elevating their collective air and anti-air defense systems to maximum alert status. Malian military junta leader General Assimi Goita issued a statement authorizing defensive forces “to neutralize any aircraft violating the confederation’s airspace,” characterizing the Nigerian plane’s entry as unauthorized.

Nigerian military officials confirmed the emergency landing followed established international safety protocols. Air Force spokesman Ehimen Ejodame reported that the two crew members and nine passengers aboard received “cordial treatment” from Burkinabè authorities and remained safe throughout the incident.

This aerial incident occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating regional relations. Nigeria, as a key member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), recently supported intervention efforts that thwarted a short-lived coup in Benin on Sunday. The AES nations had previously withdrawn from ECOWAS, accusing the bloc of imposing inhumane sanctions and working against their citizens’ interests following recent military takeovers in the region. Burkina Faso shares a northwestern border with Benin, while Nigeria borders Benin to the east, creating complex geopolitical dynamics in the wake of these security developments.

UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen has characterized China’s extraordinary acceleration in renewable energy deployment as a transformative force in global climate efforts. Speaking exclusively to China Daily ahead of the seventh UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Andersen emphasized that China’s unprecedented scale of clean energy installation—projected to reach 3,600 gigawatts by 2035—demonstrates remarkable achievements through strategic long-term planning, industrial capability, and coherent policy implementation.

Andersen highlighted that China’s manufacturing dominance has produced significant global spillover effects, dramatically reducing renewable technology costs worldwide. Solar energy prices have plummeted to an average of 3.3 US cents per kilowatt-hour, making clean energy increasingly accessible, particularly across Global South nations. This cost reduction, coupled with expanded availability, represents what Andersen termed ‘magnificent progress’ in the worldwide transition to sustainable energy.

Beyond energy generation, China’s rapidly evolving electric vehicle ecosystem—encompassing two-wheelers, buses, and passenger cars—is expanding throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Local assembly operations in developing countries are already generating employment opportunities, improving urban air quality, and facilitating the transition to low-emission transportation networks.

A recent UNEP report corroborates Andersen’s assessment, identifying China’s renewable energy expansion as one of the most decisive factors shaping global climate action. The report notes that China’s projected capacity—six times its 2020 level—could substantially narrow the emissions gap by accelerating clean energy deployment internationally. For developing economies, China’s model of scaling manufacturing, reducing costs, and enabling technology transfer offers a practical blueprint for enhancing South-South cooperation.

Andersen concluded that China’s coordinated industrial policy provides a powerful example of how rapid, large-scale progress toward Paris Agreement goals can be achieved, offering valuable lessons for all nations committed to climate action.

A groundbreaking investigation by the Sudan Witness Project has documented systematic aerial attacks on civilian infrastructure that have resulted in at least 1,700 fatalities since the conflict began in April 2023. The comprehensive study represents the most extensive dataset compiled on military airstrikes in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, revealing disturbing patterns of violence against non-combatants.

The research, conducted by the Center for Information Resilience with funding from the British foreign ministry, analyzed 384 airstrikes occurring between April 2023 and July 2025. The findings indicate that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have repeatedly employed unguided munitions in densely populated areas, including residential neighborhoods, marketplaces, educational institutions, and displacement camps.

According to project director Mark Snoeck, the evidence demonstrates a clear failure by the SAF to implement adequate precautions to prevent civilian casualties. “The main patterns that emerge are repeated hits on residential neighbourhoods and markets,” Snoeck stated, “as well as a large number of alleged strikes on essential humanitarian and medical facilities.”

The investigation employed rigorous open-source verification methodologies, cross-referencing social media footage, satellite imagery, and ground reports to establish attack credibility. Among the most troubling findings was the identification of an undetonated SH-250 bomb manufactured by Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation in the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur.

Notable incidents documented include:
– The bombing of Hamrat al-Sheikh Market in North Kordofan that killed 30 and injured 100 civilians
– A August 2024 strike on a hospital in el-Daein that resulted in 16 fatalities including children and healthcare workers
– February 2025 attacks in Nyala that struck residential areas near an eye hospital, killing 63 people
– The October 2024 destruction of al-Kuma market in North Darfur that left 65 dead and 200 injured

While the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have faced international condemnation for ethnic violence in Darfur, the report highlights that the SAF’s aerial campaign has similarly caused extensive civilian suffering. Both conflict parties have increasingly incorporated drone warfare into their tactics, with recent months showing a shift toward unmanned aerial attacks.

Justin Lynch of the Conflict Insights Group characterized the conflict as “a war against civilians,” noting that “air power and other heavy weapons disproportionately target civilian, more than military, sites.” International observers have condemned the pattern of attacks as potential war crimes, with a British foreign office official stating that perpetrators “must be held accountable” regardless of affiliation.

The full Sudan Witness report, featuring an interactive map visualizing the scale and impact of airstrikes, is scheduled for publication on December 10.

In a devastating escalation of Sudan’s civil conflict, drone strikes targeted a kindergarten and hospital in the town of Kalogi, South Kordofan, resulting in 114 fatalities including 63 children according to United Nations figures. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus denounced the Thursday attack as “senseless” while revealing that emergency responders faced secondary attacks during rescue operations.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in a brutal power struggle with the national army since April 2023, faces accusations from both military authorities and the Sudan Doctors’ Network for executing the assault. Local official Essam al-Din al-Sayed described to AFP how drones struck first a kindergarten, then a hospital, and again as rescuers attempted to evacuate children.

Simultaneously, the RSF announced capture of Sudan’s largest oil field at Heglig near the southern border, describing it as a “pivotal” strategic achievement. Army sources told Reuters that government forces withdrew to protect oil infrastructure, with some personnel reportedly crossing into South Sudan. The Heglig facility processes most of South Sudan’s oil, representing critical revenue for both nations.

The Kordofan region—comprising North, South, and West Kordofan with nearly eight million residents—has become a central frontline as army forces advance toward RSF-controlled Darfur. WHO confirmed survivors were transferred to Abu Jebaiha Hospital amid urgent calls for blood donations and medical support.

Tedros, who previously accused RSF of killing hundreds at el-Fasher hospital in October, stopped short of directly attributing blame for the Kalogi attack but demanded immediate ceasefire through social media: “Sudanese have suffered far too much. Ceasefire now!” The organization’s Attacks on Health Care monitoring system documented 35 additional injuries alongside the 114 fatalities.