This update has been compiled by Christer Wilkinson from a variety of sources.

Conflict Group Reports
Readers are reminded that the Crisis Group (www.crisisgroup.org) publishes a detailed monthly report on all rebel attacks and other violent incidents in the three countries covered in this news summary and other countries including Burkina Faso.

Hostages
No fresh news on any of the western hostages.

Corona Virus
At the time of this report the “total cases” Covid figures were: Niger 5,564, Mali 14,502, and Tchad 4,964 cases. Due to different collection criteria these figures are not completely comparable. These reported case counts are low compared with other countries, and reflect a surprisingly low per capita infection rate. Unlike some other countries there is no evidence of deliberate mis-reporting.

Migrant trends
The IOM DTM site report for Niger in May was available on the IOM site. There was no report for Tchad and the Mali one for May was covered last month.

It should be noted that these figures in these reports are only for migrants at the monitoring points and migrants who avoid these points are not included. In addition, the accumulation of refugees at remote frontier points such as Assamaka are not included, nor are repatriation convoys or organized rescues.

The figures (estimated where full details are not available) show migrant traffic across the northern borders of Niger.

Niger: Madama: around 145/day northwards to Libya: 42/day back from Libya. Arlit: around 184/day north to Algeria and 100/day back from Algeria (Note: no monitoring at Assamaka).

Mali: no new report

Tchad: no report again this month.

Tchad
The relationship with the Africa Union (AU) which initially supported the transition government (CMT) has deteriorated, and the AU wants to see more movement towards democracy. Opposition groups complain that the progress seems to indicate that the transition will be extended.

Notwithstanding, the opposition party, “The Transformers” was authorized to operate as political party which had been banned before the elections, and the human rights activist, Baradine Berdei was released. In mid-June the CMT President Mahamat Déby confirmed the commitment to hold elections within 18 months.

Within the ruling party, the MPS, internal disputes and tension between the transitional authorities (CMT) and some MPS members led to a congress in Niamey in mid-June and Haroun Kabadi was chosen as the new party secretary.

One report was published which indicated that Tchad had tried to use Mohammed Bazzoum, the president of Niger to negotiate with the FACT rebels, who had advanced to the north of the capital N’Djamena earlier this year, to no avail.

A strike started late in June at the Doba Oil basin in the south of Tchad. This is a concession being transferred to Savannah Oil (UK) after being sold by Exon Mobile. The strike reduced Tchad’s oil output for June.

Following the clashes with Central African Republic (CAR) forces last month, early in June the CAR and Tchad agreed to set up an “independent and impartial” commission to avoid further clashes.

Mali
The event of the month was that the French President Macron announced that he was terminating Operation “Barkhane”, and withdrawing troops from Mali, but that he would still participate in the UN mission. This withdraw did not include withdrawing troops from Tchad. He also stated that he would not support nations which negotiate with terrorists. The reaction of the world was shock, but France was adamant.

Shortly after this, the military coup leader Assimi Gouta was sworn in as President and Choguel Maiga, a veteran politician in Mali was named Prime Minister and the defense minister demoted by the previous interim resident was reinstated.

Early in June the World Bank stopped payments to the Mali government, and the country is under continued sanctions from ECOWAS after negotiation with the coup leaders failed earlier this year. A second visit by ECOWAS negotiators, this time with Jonathan Goodluck, a previous Nigerian president, also failed.

Meanwhile the violent incidents in Mali continue with multiple attacks on UN forces, French forces, and the Malian army. In addition, 12 German soldiers (part of the UN force) were injured in an attack on their base near Gao. In the north, French forces on 5th June conducted operation near Aguelhok town, killing presumed al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims militants, reportedly including a senior commander “Baye Ag Bakabo”.

There were demonstrations in Paris demanding release of the French Journalist Olivier Dubois the recent French captive taken in April.

A demonstration was held in early June in the capital Bamako by the M5 opposition group supporting the military , but later reports claimed the demonstration was staged.

The Chinese group, Ganfeng agreed to buy a 50% of a lithium mine in southern Mali from an Australian group, FireFinch Ltd. which holds the concession.

Niger
Niger, yet again a quiet month compared to Mali, but it still had some violent incidents.

In the south west near the border with Burkina Faso, Chinese miners from the commercial mining company were kidnapped by jihadists in Mabango town. No news of negotiations or release were reported. Later in the month, 19 people were killed by Jihadists at Danga Zawne, near Tillabery.

Further south in the tri border area of Niger/Mali/Burkina Faso, it was reported that joint French- Nigerien operations in mid-June led to the capture of several senior ISGS (Islamic State in the Greater Sahara) leaders, including Dadi Ould Chouaib alias “Abu Dardar”, and killed Almahmoud Ag Baye alias “Ikaraye”, highest-ranking Tuareg leader within ISGS, and his brother.

In the south east of Niger, near lake Tchad, some 6000 people from the town of Baroua who had fled Boko Harem were able to return. In the town of Diffa itself, ISWA (Islamic State in West Africa) militants 5th June unsuccessfully attacked a gendarmerie post, wounding one gendarme.

An attack took place on the home of Seini Oumarou president of the Niger national assembly, killing one of his guards and wounding another. ISGS later claimed responsibility for attack.

A joint US-Niger military exercise took place at Tondibiah just north of the capital, Niamey.

In the north at Assamaka, on the main route to Algeria, one report stated that suspected drug or arms traffickers stormed the security post near Assamaka in mid-June, killing three members of security forces.

In the south near Maradi, small scale attacks, kidnappings, and cattle theft continued.