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Salva Kiir and Riek Machar hold the nation’s fate in their hands. Again. (X)

In South Sudan, the same two old men beat the same old war drums

Salva Kiir and Riek Machar hold the nation’s fate in their hands. Again

Since the end of colonialism after the Second World War, the focus has generally been on African states unleashing violence against citizens, which has set back development. (Reuters)

How a lack of democracy fuels violent extremism in Africa

Research on violence in Africa argues that it is mainly within the context of a weak state that has lost control over its people and institutions

The Norwegian Refugee Council, headed by Jan Egeland (below), tries to assists the multitudes in camps for people displaced by drought and internal conflicts. (Yonas Tadesse & Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP)

Rich nations ‘not helping’ refugees

Conflict in Ethiopia has displaced masses of people, but relief efforts are under-funded

A poster celebrating Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, in Gedeb town. (Tom Gardner)

‘Go and we die, stay and we starve’: the Ethiopians facing a deadly dilemma

In the rarely visited town of Gedeb, fears are rife over state plans to return 150 000 people to areas they fled because of ethnic violence.

Rwanda’s Genocide Memorial burial site.

Rwanda can’t achieve reconciliation without fixing its democracy

As Rwanda marks the 24th anniversary of the 1994 genocide, much more needs to be done to unite the country

A woman walks past the carcass of a camel that has died due to the severe drought near the town of Qol Ujeed in Somaliland

​Climate change will lead to competition for resources and drive ethnic violence

Armed conflicts break out as a result of natural disasters, and societies with pre-existing factions are the most at risk of falling apart.

Burundi opposition leader calls for unity government

Burundi’s leading opposition politician has called on President Pierre Nkurunziza to hold talks with rivals and form a national unity government.

ANC denounces religious violence in Nigeria

ANC denounces religious violence in Nigeria

The ANC has slammed religious killings between Nigeria’s Christians and Muslims, which have claimed hundreds of lives.

Nigeria’s Christmas massacre ‘mastermind’ escapes

Nigeria’s Christmas massacre ‘mastermind’ escapes

Kabir Sokoto, the man accused of the attack on a Nigerian church that killed 37 people on Christmas Day, has escaped from police custody.

47 killed in South Sudan tribal violence

47 killed in South Sudan tribal violence

Members of a South Sudan tribe, previously targeted in an ethnic assault, killed 47 people in another revenge attack, escalating the tribal conflict.

Mob kills two, burns mosques in Nigerian village

Mosques have been burnt and two people were killed in a mainly Muslim village in the latest ethnic attack to hit Nigeria.

UN finds ‘no evidence’ of mass killings in South Sudan

UN finds ‘no evidence’ of mass killings in South Sudan

The UN’s top official in South Sudan says ‘no evidence’ has been found of reported mass killings but warns 60 000 people are in urgent need of aid.

Over 3 000 killed in South Sudan violence

Over 3 000 people have been killed in South Sudan’s brutal massacres last week in an explosion of ethnic violence forcing tens of thousands to flee.

Kyrgyz violence eases but humanitarian crisis grows

Kyrgyz violence eases but humanitarian crisis grows

The humanitarian crisis for tens of thousands of refugees who fled ethnic fighting in Kyrgyzstan is intensifying, officials warned on Tuesday.

China police fan out to halt Xinjiang unrest

Police fanned out in the far-flung Chinese city of Urumqi on Wednesday to try to stifle unrest days after 156 people were killed in ethnic violence.

Behind the violence

Hostel battles: Why there’s more to the eruption of anger than ‘ethnic rivalry’