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

Conflict Group Report
Readers are reminded that the Crisis Group publishes a detailed monthly report on all rebel attacks and other incidents in the three countries covered in this news summary

Hostages
None from Mali or Niger freed but some interesting information.

In Burkina Faso in early May French troops liberated two French citizens held by kidnappers. But they suffered two fatalities in the French soldiers in the attack. They also found a South Korean woman and an US citizen, to their surprise. They acted because they had information that the hostages would soon be handed over to a Mali group, Katiba Macina, and would then be very difficult to rescue. The American captive was later revealed to be another woman, but no details of identity have been released nor where they were captured.

Another report indicated that an envoy Oumarou Roua , reputedly an adviser to the president of Niger, went missing near TonoTongo on his way to meet with an emissary of the Islamic group EIGS to negotiate for the release of the German NGO staff member kidnapped in April 2018. Details of the disappearance are inconsistent.

At the end of May a report from a journalist, Wassim Nasr, indicated that a leader of the AQIM jihadist group, Abu Obeida Youssef al-Annabi, indirectly requested the release of prisoners “old, wounded and minors", "not fighters", in exchange for the 73-year-old French captive Sophie Petronin. At around the same time, the Chief of Staff of the French armed forces, Francois Lecointre, stated that they did not have accurate information as to where Sophie Petronin is being held currently.

Migrant trends
The IOM DTM site was working again in time for this report.

DTM Niger (March 2019)

Mostly unchanged with in and out traffic balancing at about 10,000 a month. The largest north outflow is still to Libya. It was reported that some 400 people were shipped back from Algeria by organized transport in March. Large numbers were reported crossing into Niger in the south east due to the Boko Harem, many coming into Niger.

DTM Tchad (April 2019)

Still limited information from the north is available due to insecurity. The estimate is some 550 a day, mostly inbound via Faya. But it also reported that some 200 people were shipped south through Faya in late May by the government.

DTM Mali (April 2019)

Around 6,000 a month with an excess of outgoing migrants. The northerly destination for most migrants was Bordj Moktar in Algeria.

Niger news
Some more news about the next presidential elections. The former Prime Minister Hamadou Amadou who is currently in exile is considering a run for president of Niger. So is General Salou Djibo former head of the military junta in 2010 and 2011.

The dismissal of General Mhammadou Mounkalila in April for disciplinary reasons continues to generate protests.

There was another plea from the Niger Government to the EU for aid to assist in the security of the country in the face of the continuing terrorist attacks.

Three migrants were saved, but a dozen died of thirst in an unidentified location in North Niger trying to get to Libya, according to a report from Agades.

98 people were killed when a gasoline tanker exploded near Niamey airport: the truck had overturned near some railways lines and started leaking gasoline, which was being scavenged by local inhabitants.

In mid-May a Niger army patrol was hit by an IED and then gunfire with a loss of 28 soldiers killed and 6 wounded. This was near the location at which the American soldiers were ambushed last year.

There were several reports of exasperation concerning the effectiveness of the army after this attack. The NGO, MSF has suspended much of its activity in the Tillaberi region in response to this attack.

BraNiger, the only manufacturer of beer and soft drinks in the country has ceased operation for financial reasons. It is owned by Castel, a French company.

The UN indicated that some 20,000 people fled from Nigeria to the south east of Niger in April due to Boko Harem attacks. Another report from Diffa indicated that kidnapping locals for ransom by Boko Harem and others has increased significantly.

The Savannah oil company (Canada) is planning more drilling explorations in Niger.

The penetration of mobile phones in Niger has stopped rising with a penetration rate of some 45%.

The runway at the American base in Agades is now ready after 100m$ reportedly spent on the base, but it still has security issues, and the project is behind schedule. Apparently a total of some 660 military have visited the site. Meanwhile in Niamey a series of demonstrations against the foreign military bases and their inability to stop terrorist attacks was held in May.

It was reported that there were frequent power cuts in the capital Niamey during a Ramadan at 45C.

Mali news
The new multi-party government in Mali under BouBou Cisse finally took over. It has some interesting members.

Tiebile Drame who was an active opponent of the current president “IBK” in the last presidential elections and leader of the FSD party is now Foreign Minister. The new minister of defense is General Ibrahim Dahirou Demble who was member of the Junta who overthrew the previous president “ATT”. He was at one time prosecuted for the assassination of 20 red berets in 2012. It should be noted that members of the URD and SADI parties refused to participate.

The teacher’s union strike ended in mid-May after the government agreed to eight of the teachers ten demands.

Two attacks near Djenne killed four people. The nature of the attackers was not confirmed.

Heavy rains in Bamako killed one person and injured several. Numerous houses were destroyed. Floods continued through the following days.

In Bamako the new government stated it was ready to talk to the jihadists and particularly the Katiba Macina group.

It was reported that the release from captivity of the prefect and journalist in February was achieved via the release by the Mali government of 18 captured Jihadists.

Former jihadists from Ansar Eddine and the UN agreed to work together at the town of Koigoua near Goundam.

The UN agency MINUSMA issued a report that the Ogossagou massacre of 160 Fulanis early this year was the responsibility of Dozos (Dogon Militants).

Tchad news
Regarding the ongoing conflict in Miski, in the north of Tchad the Crisis Group has published an interesting report (#274) on this issue and its history.

There are still delays with the payment of compensation for the victims of Hissene Habre a previous president of Tchad) following his conviction at a court in Senegal a few years ago.

N’Djamena also suffered from a Ramadan at 45C.

There is still no date for legislative elections in Tchad which have been postponed several times: previously scheduled for March, the plan is now to hold them later this year but no date has been scheduled.

An ultimatum was given in May by the Tchad government to the gold miners in Miski in the north of the country, near the Tibesti Mountains, to leave. The outcome is not clear.

Outbreaks of violence between farmers and pastoralists occurred in Eastern Tchad near Abeche. Shortly afterwards a number of arrests were reported.

It was reported that some 830 former rebels were re-integrated into the counties armed forces at Moussoro in May.

The Tchad government removed import and other taxes from all basic foodstuffs. It also suspended the planned distribution of cotton seed intended to revitalize the cotton industry. The reasons given varied between reports.

A colonel in the mixed Sudan Tchad frontier force in the east of Tchad was killed by an attack from cattle thieves.