标签： Africa

A devastating bridge collapse at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people, with rescuers still searching for survivors. The incident occurred at the Kalando mine in the southern Lualaba province on Saturday, where unauthorized miners had forcibly entered the site despite a ban. According to local official Roy Kaumba Mayonde, military personnel guarding the mine reportedly fired shots, causing panic among the miners. In their haste to flee, the miners overloaded a makeshift bridge, leading to its collapse. The military has yet to comment on these allegations. DR Congo, the world’s largest supplier of cobalt—a critical component for electric vehicle batteries—has long struggled with safety and regulation in its artisanal mining sector. Approximately 1.5 to 2 million people work in this unregulated industry, which supplies copper, cobalt, and other minerals to global markets. Mayonde described the incident as “tragic” and highlighted the recurring issue of illegal miners invading mining concessions. The miners had constructed the unstable bridge themselves, which could not withstand the sudden rush of people. Unverified images on social media show the aftermath, with locals witnessing the grim scene. Congolese authorities have urged artisanal miners to consider government-sponsored training in agribusiness to prevent such tragedies. The cobalt extraction process in DR Congo has been marred by allegations of child labor, human rights abuses, and corruption, further complicating the industry’s challenges.

In a brazen pre-dawn attack on Monday, armed assailants stormed a boarding school in Nigeria’s northwestern Kebbi state, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staff member. The incident, which occurred in the Maga area of Danko-Wasagu, underscores the persistent security challenges plaguing the region. Police spokesperson Nafi’u Abubakar Kotarkoshi confirmed the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, engaged in a firefight with guards before seizing the students from their dormitories at 4 a.m. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction, and the motives remain unclear. A coordinated search and rescue operation is underway, with security forces combing suspected escape routes and surrounding forests. One fatality and one injury were officially reported, though a local resident claimed two deaths occurred during the raid. Nigeria has faced escalating violence from armed bandits, who frequently kidnap for ransom, particularly in the mineral-rich but poorly policed northern regions. While not linked to militant groups like Boko Haram, these bandits have terrorized communities, targeting schools since the infamous 2014 Chibok abduction, which saw 276 students taken. Despite some progress in reducing school raids through enhanced security measures, the latest incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of educational institutions in the region.

In a daring act of cultural preservation, Abdoulaye Cissé, the general secretary of the Ahmed Baba Institute of Higher Islamic Studies and Research, risked his life to smuggle 28,000 fragile manuscripts out of Timbuktu thirteen years ago. This heroic effort unfolded as al-Qaida-linked extremists overran the historic desert town. Under the cover of darkness, Cissé and his team transported the manuscripts via donkey carts, wooden boats, and buses on a perilous 1,200-kilometer journey to Mali’s capital, Bamako. The operation, which took a month, was fraught with danger but ultimately successful in safeguarding these irreplaceable artifacts of West African history. In August, the manuscripts were returned to Timbuktu, a move celebrated by local leaders and the Malian government as a triumph of cultural pride and preservation. However, the threat of al-Qaida persists, with recent attacks and a fuel blockade imposed by the JNIM group underscoring the ongoing instability in the region. Timbuktu, once a global center of Islamic learning, houses an estimated 377,000 manuscripts in both public and private collections. These documents, many of which were also smuggled to Bamako, challenge the misconception that African history was primarily oral. They provide a rich archive of West African empires, scholarly debates, and historical events dating back centuries. The manuscripts reveal a tolerant and respectful Islamic tradition, with one decree in a private library explicitly protecting women’s rights. The destruction of over 4,000 manuscripts and UNESCO World Heritage Sites by al-Qaida in 2012 was a devastating blow, prompting renewed efforts to digitize and protect these treasures. Today, nearly all of the institute’s manuscripts are digitized, with backups stored on remote servers. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, including the need for modern storage facilities and surveillance systems. Timbuktu’s residents, deeply committed to their cultural heritage, strive to balance preservation with accessibility, ensuring that these manuscripts continue to inspire and educate future generations.