Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising: Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport. This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s …
Civilian support for military coups is rising in parts of Africa: why the reasons matter: The clamour for coups among citizens is rising Wikimedia Commons On the night of 13 January 1963, Togo’s President Sylvanus Olympio was shot dead by rebels in the first military coup staged in Africa. A long list, as shown below, …
Military coups in Africa: here’s what determines a return to civilian rule: Supporters of Niger's July 2023 coup celebrate in the capital, Niamey. Balima Boureima/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Slightly more than two years after Niger’s first peaceful handover of power from one civilian president to another, the military seized power in July 2023. The …
Ukraine recap: ‘kamikaze’ drone attacks on civilian infrastructure show Putin is moving closer to total war: Having suffered several weeks of setbacks in the field, Russia appears to have renewed its assaults on Ukraine’s major cities, mainly via missile and drone attacks. Despite protestations to the contrary from Kremlin ally Iran, there is growing evidence …
Ukraine war: how Russian denial of civilian casualties follows tactics used in Syria: US president Joe Biden has labelled Russian president Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” for the way the war in Ukraine is being carried out. Experts collating the numbers of casualties in Ukraine report that Russia is failing to acknowledge it has killed …
Modern warfare: ‘precision’ missiles will not stop civilian deaths – here’s why: Modern guided missiles and bombs are capable of incredible, almost science-fiction-like precision. To research my book, Reaper Force, about the lives of drone operators, I was allowed to watch RAF MQ-9 Reaper drones in real-time action in Syria. I sat with a three-person …
Sudan: how strong is the civilian opposition to the military coup?: Sudan is in a state of chaos after last month’s coup, in which army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency and arrested the prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and leading opposition figures. Almost immediately, opposition groups took to …
Sudan’s hard-won transition to civilian rule faces a precarious moment: Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (foreground centre) and Sovereign Council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) tour the armed forces general command in Khartoum. Photo by Ashraf Shazly/AFP via Getty Images Hundreds of thousands of people staged marches in Sudanese cities on 21 October in …
How millions of veterans were returned to civilian work en masse after WWII: After the end of the war, millions of servicemen and women needed a job. Coxy58/Shutterstock The present government’s struggle to get Britain back to work amid the pandemic looks a little less daunting when compared to the challenge that faced its predecessor …
Mali’s predictable coup leaves an unclear path to civilian rule: Malian Air Force deputy chief of staff Ismael Wague (centre) speaks during a press conference on August 19, 2020. ANNIE RISEMBERG/AFP via Getty Images Soldiers have ousted Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta who has now resigned, alongside the country’s prime minister. Moina Spooner from The …