JOHANNESBURG — An estimated 30,000 mostly Muslim Fulani militants are operating in Nigeria, causing "worsening insecurity and religious freedom violations," according to an influential new report.

The report, by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), states "violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year, as compared to attacks by organized insurgent groups and criminal gangs."

The Fulanis, so-called herders of livestock, have, according to the USCIRF report, "targeted Christian (farming) communities in the Middle Belt and, increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping, and murdering."

CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN SYSTEMATIC KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA BY JIHADI HERDSMEN, EXPERTS SAY

But a former counterterrorism expert at the State Department told Fox News Digital that the kind of strikes the U.S., working with Nigerian government forces, have recently carried out in Nigeria’s North against Islamist terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram and Islamic State, wouldn’t work against the Fulanis in the predominantly Christian central areas of the country.

Sterling Tilley, former acting director within the Bureau of Counterterrorism, who has worked in Nigeria for the State Department, said that the U.S. "militarily dealing with the farmer-herder conflict is not advisable because it is likely to bring more instability in the country." Tilley, now director of the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship at Howard University, added, "There are some steps that can be taken to quell the violence, but there must be Nigerian political will to do so."

This week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented on the recent strikes ordered by President Donald Trump on Nigeria, saying, "Maybe a year ago, [the president] heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS. And he said, 'Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians.'"

NIGERIA NAMED EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH IN 2025, REPORT SAYS

Christians make up approximately 48%, and the Fulanis, the report says, represent around 6%, or 14.5 million of Nigeria’s population. Fulani militants, the USCIRF report stated, "have often carried out operations during Christian holidays such as Christmas or Easter to further maximize the psychological impact, terrifying those communities from gathering to celebrate or worship. During attacks, assailants sometimes utter slogans with religious connotations, such as "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for "God is great"). 

But, according to the report, Muslims are being attacked too. "Fulani assailants have not spared Muslims, raiding herders’ cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities," the report added.

"Violence at the hands of militants from the Fulani tribe far outnumbers violence from all other militant groups such as Boko Haram or ISWAP (Islamic State West African Province)," Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, an organization that highlights the persecution of Christians, told Fox News Digital.  

While her organization was not part of the report, she said, "My heart has been broken as I have heard stories from women and men who have seen their beloved family members butchered in front of them or carried off into a life of slavery." 

AFRICAN UNION CHIEF DENIES GENOCIDE CLAIMS AGAINST CHRISTIANS AS CRUZ WARNS NIGERIAN OFFICIALS

Blyth added: "The situation is complicated, and as the report concludes, it is too simplistic to say all perpetrators are religiously motivated. What is undisputable is that Christians are highly vulnerable and often the victims, paying the price in blood. They desperately need protection and, for hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, the chance to heal and rebuild their lives."

The USCIRF report also stated, "Criticism of responses to Fulani militant violence from federal and state authorities has often described their responses as unsatisfactory at best and complicit at worst."

Tilley told Fox News Digital that elections are to be held in Nigeria next year, and "the Fulani do have considerable political influence as a voting bloc. Thus, the Nigerian government seems reluctant to take actions necessary to quell the violence for fear that they could lose their base of support in the North and Middle Belt."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian government for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Iran is said to be ‘deeply threatened’ by the small African breakaway state, Somaliland, because of the potential for U.S., Israeli and Western powers to use its deep water port and airbase.

Such moves would severely disrupt Iran’s plan to use their proxy, Yemen’s Houthi terror group, to attack Red Sea shipping.

Iran has been accused of pressuring the Houthis to renew their strikes on shipping, particularly in the Red Sea’s Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The waterway has become the main route for oil to ship out of the Middle East to Asia since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed.

COULD SOMALILAND BASE EMERGE AS US FOOTHOLD AGAINST IRAN, HOUTHIS IN KEY SEA LANES?

Lisa Daftari, a Middle East and foreign policy expert, told Fox News Digital, "Iran’s regime is deeply threatened by what Somaliland represents in an emerging pro‑Western, potentially pro‑Israel foothold overlooking the Bab el‑Mandeb, that could blunt Tehran’s leverage via the Houthis over Red Sea shipping and Israel."

Daftari, the editor‑in‑chief of The Foreign Desk, said, "that’s why Iran‑backed Houthis are already explicitly threatening to strike any Israeli or Western military presence in Somaliland and warning they could move to choke the Bab el‑Mandeb if the conflict with the U.S. and Israel escalates." 

The White House has said that Iran’s proxies, such as the Houthis, have been weakened. "The United States Military achieved all of the goals laid out for Operation Epic Fury – including weakening Iran’s proxies. Now, Iran is being strangled economically – giving President Trump all the cards as negotiations continue," Anna Kelly, special assistant to the President and White House principal deputy press secretary told Fox News Digital when asked if the U.S. was considering a full-time-basing relationship with Somaliland.

Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) told Fox News Digital that Somaliland’s recognition of Israel and Israel’s recognition of it last December has clearly irked Iran.

Fitton-Brown, who is a former U.K. ambassador to Yemen — the Houthis home country, said Iran "opposes any recognition of it (Somaliland) primarily because Israel is the first state to recognize it, and Iran will oppose anything that Israel does. Iran is also viscerally opposed to the U.S. and UAE, both of which have pragmatic engagement with Somaliland, short of recognition. Somaliland is a potential base for anti-Houthi enforcement, i.e. a threat to the Iranian Axis of Resistance."

IS TRUMP CONSIDERING BOLD AFRICA PLAY TO PUSH BACK ON CHINA, RUSSIA AND ISLAMIC TERRORISTS?

The U.S. already has a large base on the Red Sea in Djibouti, but Fitton-Brown says this is increasingly problematical "China is significantly expanding its military and commercial presence in Djibouti. There is a sense that Djibouti is not a reliable ally for the U.S. So Somaliland’s time has probably come."

And Somaliland hopes so. Its Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adam, told Fox News Digital "At a time when the Strait of Hormuz is under pressure and threats to the Red Sea are escalating, Somaliland has reiterated its longstanding offer to provide the United States with access along our coast. We have been clear about this in times of peace, and we are equally clear today."

The Somaliland government is also offering storage space for tomahawk missiles, with a government source saying it’s "a unique way to advance security interests."

Adam added, "U.S. destroyers that expend their missile batteries in the Red Sea require (currently) up to two weeks of travel to be resupplied. Somaliland is ready to play a practical role in helping the U.S. to secure global trade routes."

But Somaliland’s offer of allowing use of its airbase and seaport is not all plain sailing.  Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Kenneth P. Ekman, former AFRICOM/J5 and West Africa coordination element lead, told Fox News Digital "a policy dilemma presents when conducting diplomatic and military relations with Somaliland directly, rather than through the Federal Government of Somalia and the SNA (Somali National Army)."

IRAN'S AFRICA ACTIVITIES POSE 'SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO US NATIONAL SECURITY'

"This same dilemma presents," Ekman continued. "While we (the U.S.) enjoy good access in Djibouti, this access is singular and competes with the Chinese presence.  Additional access to the port of Berbera, located in Somaliland, provides redundancy (backup) and a relationally different partner. Frankly, the U.S. military, along with some of our allies and partners, need port access in Berbera."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, is strongly advocating for the U.S. to go all the diplomatic way and recognize Somaliland.

He told Fox News Digital in a statement that "Somaliland promises to be a critical counterterrorism ally for the United States, both because of its strong willingness to partner with us and because of its unique location. We should recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state and, in the meantime, significantly boost our counterterrorism cooperation." 

The U.S. though, appears to be making below-the-radar moves. The Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen. Dagvin Anderson, was recently in the country visiting port facilities, with a delegation, in November. This week, a Somaliland government source told Fox News Digital that U.S. military delegations come to the state every two months, with the last visit in the second half of April. 

Fitton-Brown told Fox News Digital that, "The U.S. is already using it (Somaliland) for counterterrorism operations. My understanding is that the U.S. doesn’t have a permanent military presence in Somaliland, but actively cooperates with Somaliland's security forces on regional counterterrorism and maritime security issues."

A former senior U.S. defense official agreed that American military specialists have been co-ordinating with Somaliland forces since 2023, when they came together to kill Bilal al-Sudani, reportedly a key facilitator and financier of the ISIS global network.

However, the U.S. aligns publicly with Somalia, from which Somaliland broke away in 1991. 

When asked this week about the U.S. military relationship with Somaliland when it comes to counter-terrorism operations in the country, a Pentagon official told Fox News Digital: "The United States maintains its strategic partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia.

"In northern Somalia, AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, has conducted airstrikes to degrade ISIS—Somalia's ability to threaten the U.S. Homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad. In southern Somalia, AFRICOM, also in close coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, has conducted airstrikes to enable partner forces’ ability to degrade al Shabaab. Our strategic approach to countering terrorism in Africa relies on trusted partnerships and collaboration grounded in and through shared security interests."

Daftari added, "Somaliland is offering the United States what the mullahs fear most in this theater, namely an alternative, resilient platform on the African shore that includes an airfield, port, and over‑the‑horizon access that would dilute Houthi leverage and give Washington options that don’t depend on Djibouti or Persian Gulf partners alone."

LONDON, England — From Sudan to Gaza, civilians are desperate, hospitals are under attack, and the humanitarian aid system cannot keep up, according to a new report in the Lancet medical journal. 

"The humanitarian system is no longer fit for purpose, given the types of emergencies that we have and their magnitude," report co-author Dr. Paul Spiegel told Fox News. 

AS WORLD FIXATES ON OTHER WARS, SUDAN SEES 12 MILLION FORCIBLY DISPLACED IN DEVASTATING CONFLICT

A professor at Johns Hopkins University and co-chair of its Center for Humanitarian Health, Spiegel has decades of experience working in refugee camps and war zones around the world. "I've been doing this for well over 30 years," he said. "We're in a very dark time."

Highlighting one of the world’s largest disasters, Sudan's brutal civil war — where tens of millions of people are in need as hospitals close and famine spreads — the panel of experts behind the report says the world knows how to save lives, but that the system is failing to deliver. The experts' report, titled 'Health in a World of Crises and Impunity,' argues that some agencies are too bureaucratic, and others too slow. The whole system, they say, needs revamping.

The report argues the United Nations is in need of reform, while in the U.S. it highlights the Trump Administration's shuttering of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) over suspected fraud and abuse. 

During that restructuring, many of USAID's most vital programs were folded into the State Department, but the report calls USAID's closure a "shock" and "sudden," and part of a chain of decisions in the U.S. and elsewhere which it condemns as "a political and moral failure."

ANALYSTS SAY GAZA 'CIVILIAN' DEATHS INCLUDE HAMAS, OTHER TERROR MEMBERS WORKING AS MEDICS, MEDIA WORKERS

"USAID needed to be restructured," Spiegel told Fox News. "The U.N. needs to be restructured in a very significant way. But it's how you do that.

"It is the strategy to make sure that you do it in such a way that vulnerable populations across the globe are not going to be hurt, and that it wasn't done like that."

The authors are pushing for major global reforms, including overhauling funding, sending aid directly to local communities, greater accountability if governments or armed groups block aid, and upholding healthcare as a basic human right.

"It's really a complete rebalancing," Spiegel said, "to make sure that the system actually works for the people it's intended to help."

An Ebola treatment center in the epicenter of the deadly outbreak in eastern Congo was set on fire Thursday after angry residents clashed with authorities over the body of a suspected victim.

Rwampara Hospital was attacked by local youths attempting to retrieve the body of a friend who had reportedly died of Ebola, a witness told The Associated Press.

"The police intervened to try to calm the situation, but unfortunately they were unsuccessful," Alexis Burata, a local student who said he was in the area, told the outlet. "The young people ended up setting fire to the center. That’s the situation."

The AP reported that people broke into the center and set fire to objects inside. A reporter also witnessed what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim being burned inside the facility.

EBOLA OUTBREAK REPORTED IN AFRICAN COUNTRY — HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) said two tents used to treat Ebola patients were set on fire at the hospital. The organization said six people were receiving treatment for Ebola at the center.

Patrick Muyaya, a government spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said medical care was continuing normally, and all six patients were accounted for.

He called for calm while condemning violence against health facilities and medical staff.

WHO DECLARES EBOLA OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL AFRICA A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AFTER 80 SUSPECTED DEATHS

Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of the public security department in Ituri Province, said the individuals who burned the tents did not understand the protocols surrounding Ebola burials.

The incident underscored growing tensions between health officials enforcing strict Ebola containment measures and local customs surrounding funerals and burial rites.

"His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral even though the instructions from the authorities during this Ebola virus outbreak are clear," Mukendi said. "All bodies must be buried according to the regulations."

‘DISEASE X’ HAS KILLED DOZENS IN THE CONGO — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MYSTERY ILLNESS

In its statement, ALIMA condemned the spread of "incorrect or unconfirmed information on social media and the internet," warning that misinformation could fuel fear and mistrust toward health facilities.

The violent clash comes as Congolese health officials reported 160 suspected deaths and 671 suspected Ebola cases across two provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United Nations said earlier this week that neighboring Uganda had reported two cases, including one death.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency Sunday, and the U.S. issued an urgent travel warning for the DRC shortly afterward.

US ISSUES URGENT TRAVEL WARNING AS DEADLY EBOLA OUTBREAK SPREADS OVERSEAS

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week he was "deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic."

Officials said the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rarer variant for which existing vaccines may be less effective.

Nearly $4 million in emergency funding has been approved by the WHO to support national authorities responding to the outbreak.

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The head of the World Health Organization announced a meeting of his emergency committee regarding the "scale and speed" of the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and Uganda on Tuesday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cited data saying there have been over 500 suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in recent weeks, and 33 confirmed cases. There have been two confirmed cases in Uganda. The outbreak has seen a total of 131 fatalities.

"I'm deeply concerned about the scale ‌and ⁠speed of the epidemic," Tedros said in a Tuesday statement.

Tedros is meeting with the WHO's Emergency Committee later Tuesday.

US ISSUES URGENT TRAVEL WARNING AS DEADLY EBOLA OUTBREAK SPREADS OVERSEAS

There are several factors that have made the WHO concerned about the potential ​for further spread, such as cases in urban ​areas, including ⁠Kampala, Uganda, and Goma in the DRC, as well as the conflict-affected province of Ituri.

The WHO has approved $3.9 million in ​emergency funding to support national authorities as they respond to the outbreak.

The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency on Sunday, and the U.S. issued an urgent travel warning for the DRC shortly after on Monday.

UGANDA STARTS CLINICAL TRIAL OF VACCINE FOR SUDAN STRAIN OF EBOLA AMID NEW OUTBREAK

Officials said the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, a rarer variant for which existing vaccines may be less effective.

The State Department warns that Ebola is a "rare, severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever illness."

The virus can spread through direct contact with infected individuals, bodily fluids, infected corpses and objects contaminated with the virus.

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"The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Ituri province," the advisory noted. "Do not travel to this area for any reason."

The development comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which left multiple passengers and crew members sick, and caused three deaths.

As of May 13, the WHO said 11 hantavirus cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case.

Fox News' Andrea Margolis and Michael Sinkewicz and Reuters contributed to this report.

U.S. and Nigerian forces launched another strike against ISIS fighters in Nigeria, according to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), just days after they carried out an operation that killed a global ISIS leader.

AFRICOM said it conducted the additional kinetic strikes against ISIS militants on Monday in coordination with Nigeria’s government. It said complete assessments are ongoing, though noted that no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed during the operation.

"The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners," AFRICOM said.

The strikes come after President Donald Trump announced late Friday that U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.

ISIS TERROR LEADER AT LARGE AFTER US STRIKE KILLS TOP COMMANDER AMID RISING AFRICA THREAT: ANALYST

"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social at the time. "He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed Saturday that U.S. forces, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders.

"So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him — and his entire posse," Hegseth wrote.

The announcement also comes after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out multiple strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria in February as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."

Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Robert McGreevey contributed to this report.

Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, ISIS’s shadow commander in West Africa, was killed May 16 using what an extremism analyst describes as one of the hardest forms of intelligence to detect, after decades being shielded by "deep local networks" across the region.

While the killing dealt one of the biggest blows to ISIS’s global network in years, disrupting operations in northeastern Nigeria, the terror group's top leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, remains at large as Africa becomes the movement's global epicenter.

"There is no single ISIS ‘headquarters’ in Nigeria; ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) operates dozens of small, shifting camps scattered across the Lake Chad islands and the Borno bush," Dr. Omar Mohammed, Senior Research Fellow at the GW Program on Extremism, told Fox News Digital.

"Al-Minuki would have had no smartphones, relying instead on courier-based communications and constant movement between these small camps," he said.

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President Donald Trump’s explicit reference to "sources who kept us informed" points directly to human intelligence, or HUMINT — the hardest form of intelligence for a target to detect or counter, Mohammed explained.

The precision strike successfully penetrated defenses that had been held for years.

"He would have utilized deep local networks the Nigerian military has struggled to penetrate for over a decade," Mohammed added.

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"His operational security would have been severe," Mohammed said. "But two things eventually undo even careful targets: time generates patterns, and human sources are extremely difficult to defeat."

"Despite severe operational security, al-Minuki was ultimately compromised through persistent human intelligence," he noted. "Al-Minuki knew he was marked."

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The Nigerian army described the strike as "a meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation" carried out Saturday between midnight and 4 a.m. in Metele, located in Borno State in northeast Nigeria.

U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, placed the strike in northeastern Nigeria, with Nigerian army communications pointing specifically to the Metele region.

Despite the tactical success, the current ISIS "caliph," or overall leader, remains on the run, according to reports.

Al-Qurashi was "named following his predecessor’s death in Syria," Mohammed claimed.

"He is deliberately faceless, with analysts describing this line of leaders as the ‘caliphs of the shadows,’" Mohammed said, noting al-Qurashi assumed leadership after Turkish authorities killed his predecessor in 2023.

While al-Qurashi’s exact location is unknown, reports indicate he traveled from Syria or Iraq through Yemen to Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region.

"This is where the financial hub also sits, meaning the entire center of gravity of the organization — leadership, finance, operational direction — has been quietly relocating to Africa for years," Mohammed said.

RUSSIAN MERCENARIES REPLACE WESTERN FORCES AS ISIS SURGES ACROSS AFRICA'S SAHEL REGION

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project confirms this regional shift, showing more than two-thirds of all Islamic State global activity now takes place in Africa.

"Africa has transitioned from a peripheral theater to the operational and financial center of global ISIS activity," Mohammed explained. "Africa is no longer a peripheral theater. It is the main one. Funding is overwhelmingly local and extractive — taxation, ransom, smuggling — which is precisely why these networks are so resilient."

"Al-Minuki, for example, rose through ISWAP and operated across the Lake Chad Basin and into the wider Sahel," he noted.

"Still, staking out al-Minuki is the most significant blow to ISIS’ global leadership architecture since the al-Baghdadi raid in 2019, executed in the theater that has quietly become the group’s beating heart," Mohammed said before adding the strike was "not a one-off kinetic moment."

The World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa an international public health emergency on Sunday after dozens of suspected deaths were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, the WHO said.

The declaration follows reports of 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases as of Saturday across at least three health zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

The development comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which left multiple passengers and crew members sick, and caused three deaths.

NEW EBOLA OUTBREAK LEAVES 65 DEAD AS OFFICIALS WARN OF CROSS-BORDER SPREAD

As of May 13, the WHO said 11 hantavirus cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case.

In neighboring Uganda’s capital, Kampala, the WHO said two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases — including one death — were reported Friday and Saturday involving people who had traveled from the DRC.

Another laboratory-confirmed case was reported in the DRC capital of Kinshasa involving a person returning from Ituri province.

Initial tests suggested the outbreak does not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which caused Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.

EBOLA OUTBREAK REPORTED IN AFRICAN COUNTRY — HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

However, unlike Ebola-Zaire strains, there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the Bundibugyo strain, which the WHO described as making the outbreak "extraordinary."

The WHO warned the outbreak could be larger than currently reported due to the high positivity rate among initial samples and the growing number of suspected cases.

The outbreak also poses a public health risk to other countries, the WHO said, urging nations to activate emergency-management systems and implement cross-border screening measures.

‘DISEASE X’ HAS KILLED DOZENS IN THE CONGO — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MYSTERY ILLNESS

Ebola is a highly contagious and often fatal disease spread through bodily fluids, including blood, vomit and semen. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal bleeding.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said Congo has a "strong track record" responding to Ebola outbreaks while announcing the release of $500,000 in emergency funding to support containment efforts.

The WHO said it will convene an emergency committee to review recommendations for how affected countries should respond.

The organization did not recommend border closures or travel restrictions.

Congo has now recorded 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976.

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Brittany Miller, along with Reuters, contributed to this report.

Africa’s top public health agency confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo on Friday after 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases were recorded in the country’s remote Ituri province.

Health officials are now investigating whether the outbreak involves the Ebola Zaire strain — the deadliest and most well-known version of the virus — or a different variant, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Neighboring Uganda also confirmed one Ebola-related death involving a Congolese man whose case officials said was imported from Congo.

The outbreak has been concentrated in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones in eastern Congo, an area near the borders of Uganda and South Sudan that officials warned could become a regional transmission risk because of mining-related travel, weak infrastructure and ongoing insecurity.

EBOLA OUTBREAK REPORTED IN AFRICAN COUNTRY — HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Ebola is a highly contagious and often fatal disease spread through bodily fluids including blood, vomit and semen. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal bleeding.

The Africa CDC said only four of the deaths have so far been laboratory confirmed, while testing and sequencing efforts continue to determine the exact strain involved in the outbreak.

Initial tests suggested the outbreak may not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which was responsible for Congo’s devastating 2018-2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.

UGANDA STARTS CLINICAL TRIAL OF VACCINE FOR SUDAN STRAIN OF EBOLA AMID NEW OUTBREAK

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it sent a response team to the region last week to help local officials investigate the outbreak and collect samples.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Congo has a "strong track record" responding to Ebola outbreaks and announced the agency is releasing $500,000 in emergency funding to support containment efforts.

Health authorities said Congo has stockpiles of Ebola treatments and approximately 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, though officials cautioned the vaccine is only effective against the Ebola Zaire strain and not against Sudan or Bundibugyo variants.

This marks Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.

French President Emmanuel Macron sparked a firestorm of criticism after he interrupted a youth-focused session at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Monday, publicly scolding attendees for talking over speakers and calling the disruption "a total lack of respect."

Video from the event showed Macron rising from his seat and walking onto the stage during the "Africa Forward: Creation in Motion" session, which featured artists and young entrepreneurs speaking about culture and innovation.

"Excuse me, everybody. Hey, hey, hey," Macron told the audience. "I’m sorry, guys. But it’s impossible to speak about culture, to have people like that super inspired, coming here, making a speech with such a noise."

"So this is a total lack of respect," he continued. "I suggest if you want to have bilateral or speak about somebody else, I mean something else, you have bilateral rooms, or you go outside. If you want to stay here, we listen to the people, and we’re playing the same game."

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Macron was immediately criticized for his uninvited remarks on social media. A former member of Parliament from Zimbabwe, Fadzayi Mahere, called the French leader out on X. "Respectfully @EmmanuelMacron I don’t believe that it’s courteous or appropriate for you to come onto our Continent and talk down at people like this. They are not your kids. Don’t be condescending. Imagine if a guest of the state did the same in your country? Would it fly? I don’t think so."

Another post from a Kenyan-Canadian lawyer with 3.1 million followers announced, "Africans don’t need @EmmanuelMacron’s permission to speak in Africa," said Dr. Miguna Miguna, who in January announced he was running for the Kenyan presidency in 2027, according to local reports. 

A report published Monday by Modern Ghana, the interruption carried a symbolic irony, as Macron had traveled to Kenya to promote what Paris describes as a more equal and respectful partnership with African nations, moving away from what critics have long viewed as a paternalistic post-colonial model.

The incident took place during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where more than 30 African leaders, business executives and young entrepreneurs gathered for discussions focused on economic development, innovation and cooperation between Africa and Europe.

Kenya’s Standard Media reported that the exchange "cast an unusual shadow" over the summit, noting that some civil society groups characterized the two-day summit as a "reengineering of imperialism."

The moment underscored the balancing act facing Macron as France attempts to redefine its relationship with Africa following years of political tensions and military withdrawals from several West African countries.

Earlier Monday, Macron told students at the University of Nairobi that "Africa is succeeding" and argued the continent needs investment to strengthen its sovereignty rather than dependence on development aid, according to Modern Ghana’s report by Mustapha Bature Sallama. The report also noted Macron acknowledged France’s own financial constraints during the remarks.

Macron has increasingly emphasized partnerships with African youth, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders as Paris recalibrates its Africa strategy amid growing competition from Russia, China and Turkey for influence across the continent.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The remains of a U.S. Army officer who went missing during military exercises in Morocco were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean, while the search continues for a second missing soldier, according to military officials.

The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, of Richmond, Virginia, were recovered Saturday, U.S. Army Europe and Africa announced Sunday. Key, a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer, was one of two U.S. soldiers who reportedly fell from a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area on May 2.

A Moroccan military search team found Key in the water along the shoreline at about 8:55 a.m. local time Saturday, roughly one mile from where both soldiers reportedly entered the ocean, the Army said.

"Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco," Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement. "Our hearts are with his Family, friends, teammates, and all who knew and served alongside him. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s Family as we honor his life and service."

LONG-LOST SOLDIER'S GRAVE DISCOVERED AT REMOTE US NATIONAL PARK AFTER 150 YEARS

Key and the second soldier were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise hosted across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal.

The two were reported missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain featuring mountains, desert and semi-desert plains, the Moroccan military said.

The disappearance of the two soldiers led to a search-and-rescue mission involving more than 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco and other military partners. Ships, helicopters and drones were deployed as part of this operation.

Search efforts will continue for the second missing soldier.

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A U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the military exercises ended on Friday to provide command and control and to support the ongoing search and rescue mission.

Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to the Army.

His decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School the following year as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Key is survived by his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law.

African Lion 26 is a U.S.-led exercise that began in April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal, with more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from more than 40 nations.

For more than 20 years, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed, and two others injured during an MV-22 Osprey crash near Cap Draa while participating in Exercise African Lion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Authorities in South Africa carried out a high-risk recovery operation over the weekend, airlifting a massive crocodile suspected of eating a local resident.

The operation followed last month’s disappearance of a 59-year-old businessman from Gauteng, South African Police Service (SAPS) said. Local media Smile FM identified him as Gabriel Batista, the owner of the Border Country Inn located a short drive from the river.

A specialized task force eventually tracked down the reptile Saturday along the Komati River, where it was euthanized and removed from the area, officials reported. Upon examination, they said human remains were discovered in its digestive system.

The operation was also captured on camera and has since spread widely on social media, showing personnel hoisting the massive crocodile from the water by helicopter.

SOUTH AFRICAN ELEPHANT KILLS TOURIST WHO WAS TRYING TO SAVE CHILDREN AT KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

According to the police, the local businessman went missing late last month after his Ford Ranger became stranded at a flooded low-lying river crossing near crocodile-infested waters.

State media SABCNews reported that the vehicle was swept away as he attempted to cross the bridge.

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Following a weeklong search, the team reportedly identified a large crocodile nearby that they believed may have attacked and consumed the victim. 

According to officials who monitored the reptile for several days, the reptile appeared to show signs it had recently fed, including prolonged periods of inactivity, South African outlet ENCA said.

"During the search, we saw that this particular crocodile was only about 150 meters away from where the person had washed off the bridge. This crocodile stayed there the whole time. When the helicopter went over it, it wouldn’t move away," SAPS Captain Johan "Pottie" Potgieter said.

"We know from experience that if crocodiles have had a big meal, they’re not very active, and need to lie in the sun for their digestive system to start working."

After authorities euthanized the animal with the necessary permissions, Potgieter operated under "extremely dangerous conditions," being lowered from a helicopter into crocodile-infested waters. 

It was then secured with a rope, hoisted from the water, and airlifted away, SAPS said.

During the examination, officials reportedly discovered human remains, as well as six pairs of sandals inside the animal’s stomach, SABC News reported.

The remains have been submitted for DNA testing to confirm the victim’s identity. 

It remains unclear whether the shoes are linked to any missing residents or villagers in the area. 

Iran is once again accused of playing a deadly role in yet another conflict, this time by supplying attack drones to one of the sides in the predominantly Muslim nation of Sudan’s deadly civil war. 

And those drones are indiscriminately killing women and children.

The war, now in its fourth year, has, according to some accounts, resulted in as many as 400,000 deaths since the conflict began on April 15, 2023. More than 11 million have been displaced, giving rise to the worst displacement crisis in the world.

Mariam Wahba, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) told Fox News Digital, "Iran has supplied the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) with drones, specifically the Mohajer-6, manufactured by Qods Aviation Industries, a U.S.-sanctioned entity, since 2013."

‘PEACEMAKER’ TRUMP CAN END AFRICA’S BIGGEST WAR, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR SAYS

The State Department has responded against the use of drones against civilians in the ongoing war in Sudan, with the SAF alleged to use Iranian drones widely against the population. An Iranian woman is also in federal custody in California after being arrested earlier this month for an alleged plot to supply Sudan with more Iranian drones.

Documented cases show both the SAF and the rebel militia they are fighting, the Rapid Support Forces, (RSF), are increasingly using drones against civilians.

Wahba said that "between December 2023 and July 2024, at least seven cargo flights traveled between Iran and Sudan, likely transporting drones and component parts. On April 19, an Iranian-born U.S. resident was arrested at Los Angeles International airport for allegedly brokering a $70 million deal to supply Mohajer-6 systems and other hardware to Sudan’s Ministry of Defense, indicating the transfers are likely ongoing."

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We are greatly concerned about the proliferation of drone warfare by the parties (in Sudan) and the impact this has on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Recently, we have seen RSF and SAF drones destroy hospitals and schools, killing civilians."

FEDS ARREST IRANIAN WOMAN AT LAX FOR ALLEGEDLY BROKERING WEAPONS SALES FOR ISLAMIC REGIME

News of the Iran drone plot in the U.S. was first announced by Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, in a post on X, April 19, saying, "Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran. She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan."

The post was accompanied by photos of Iranian drones and an image of what looked like a suitcase stuffed with dollar bills.

Ciaran McEvoy from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California told Fox News Digital that Mafi "remains in federal custody and her arraignment is scheduled for Friday, May 8 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles."

ANOTHER CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AT RISK IN AFRICA AS EXTREMISTS AND WAR TAKE THEIR TOLL

Wahba told Fox News Digital that the Mohajer-6 drone Iran is supplying to Sudan is "Iran’s workhorse drone," adding it’s the system used in attacks on Israel and the Red Sea by Hezbollah and the Houthis.

"The Mohajer-6 is a reusable platform used for surveillance and precision strikes," Wahba added. "It can loiter, collect intelligence and return."

The State Department told Fox News Digital of wider concerns.

"Islamist groups aligned with the SAF have formed relationships with the Iranian regime and have received assistance from Iran," it said. "We’ve sanctioned a number of these groups, including the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood, who used unrestrained violence against civilians and undermined efforts to resolve the conflict in Sudan. 

"Many of the group’s fighters have received training and other support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and have committed atrocities against civilians."

United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned the recent drone attacks in Sudan, telling reporters, "An aid truck from the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) that was carrying emergency shelter kits came under attack by a drone on Friday (April 24) while transiting through the town of Umm Drisaya in North Darfur state. All supplies were destroyed in the fire.

"The second incident occurred on Saturday (April 25) when a drone reportedly caused casualties in residential neighborhoods of El Obeid city, North Kordofan state. Seven people were killed and over 20 injured, according to a local medical group.

"These are ordinary families in their homes caught in violence that continues to reach civilian neighborhoods," said Dujarric. "We condemn all of these attacks."

Ricardo Pires, communication manager for the children’s agency UNICEF, told Fox News Digital, "For children in Sudan, the sound of a drone is yet another dreadful signal to hide and hope they are not harmed next. Across Darfur and Kordofan, drones and other explosive weapons are turning streets, hospitals and schools into places of danger and death. This is not just a protection threat for children. It is childhood being attacked by new forms of warfare."

The State Department spokesperson added, "In order to safeguard U.S. interests, to include the protection of religious freedom in Sudan, U.S. efforts seek to limit malign Islamist influence in Sudan’s government and curtail Iran’s regional activities, which have contributed to regional destabilization, conflict and civilian suffering."

A German tourist has died after a venomous cobra featured in a snake show reportedly slithered up his pants and bit him on the leg, authorities said.

The freak accident occurred early April at a luxury resort destination in Egypt, according to the Bavarian State Police in Germany, which released details Monday.

"During the snake charmer's performance, one of the snakes crawled into the trousers of a 57-year-old man, resulting in a bite to the German tourist's leg," officials said. 

Police said the victim, whose identity was not released, was on vacation with two family members from the Unterallgäu region of Germany.

BILLIONAIRE'S DEATH AFTER SWALLOWING BEE RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT RARE CARDIAC REACTION

Authorities said the snake charmer event was part of a hotel entertainment program in the resort city of Hurghada, a popular Red Sea destination known for its upscale all-inclusive packages, as well as nearby desert and water excursions.

Two snakes, believed to be cobras, were used in the show, officials said. 

Investigators indicated that it is not uncommon for performers to allow snakes to interact closely with audience members, as some of the snakes were reportedly placed around guests’ necks during the act.

However, during one segment of the performance, a snake reportedly bit the German tourist after crawling into his clothing.

"He subsequently exhibited clear symptoms of poisoning and required resuscitation," officials said. 

He reportedly died shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

LAW STUDENT KILLED BY ELEPHANT DURING VACATION TO THAILAND: OFFICIALS

The results of a toxicological examination are still pending, Bavarian police said.

The investigation is being handled by Germany’s Memmingen Criminal Police Inspectorate under the direction of the Memmingen Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPPO).

Cobras are known for being highly venomous snakes. Their bite can lead to rapid respiratory failure and paralysis without prompt medical treatment.

Fox News Digital has reached out to MPPO for more information.   

JOHANNESBURG: A major defeat for Russia’s mercenary Africa Corps, in a battle with jihadist and tribal militia, is being reported in Mali. Deadly attacks by al Qaeda-linked rebels and mostly-Muslim Tuareg tribesmen across cities in the West African country are continuing Monday, also with reports of senior figures in Mali’s military junta being killed or injured.

Analysts say this could be a turning point in Moscow’s influence in West Africa. Russia has been grabbing Mali’s precious minerals, including gold, in return for promising to protect the country against the rebels. Sunday, though, rebels reported that Russian mercenaries have been forced to retreat from their base in the northern city of Kidal.

"The attacks are a major blow to Russia", Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told the Associated Press. He added, "The (Russian) mercenaries had no intelligence about the attacks and were unable to protect major cities. They have unnecessarily worsened the conflict by not distinguishing between civilians and combatants."

Video of dead soldiers who appear with their features to be Russian, and of Russian military vehicles reportedly leaving Kidal, has been seen by Fox News Digital.

US ALLOWING SOME NIGERIA EMBASSY STAFF TO EVACUATE OVER 'DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION'

The Defense News Nigeria media site reported that Russia’s Africa Corps stated in Kidal "they were heavily outnumbered by a ratio of 6 to 1," adding "the Corps claimed that between 10,000 and 12,000 fighters were involved in yesterday’s attacks. There are 2,000 Russian mercenaries operating in Mali. The Malian government pays Wagner $10 million per month for security," according to the Nigerian publication.

A Russian blog on Telegram Monday, claiming to come from Kidal, stated "the units of the African Corps that were stationed and fought in Kidal left this settlement together with the military personnel of the Malian army. First of all, wounded servicemen and heavy equipment were evacuated. The personnel continues to carry out the assigned combat mission. The situation in the Republic of Mali remains difficult."

A spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, told the Associated Press that the Russian troops have withdrawn from the city after a "white" agreement was reached. This has not been confirmed by either Mali’s government or Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TRUMP'S APPROACH TO AFRICA LAUDED BY TOP REPUBLICAN AS RECENT AIRSTRIKES SHOW 'OUTSIDE THE BOX' THINKING

Russia's ministry of foreign affairs said on its Telegram account that "two hundred and fifty militants attacked Bamako Senou International Airport and the military base located nearby. The Malian Armed Forces repelled the attack and are currently taking further steps to eliminate the militia that may have been, reportedly, trained by Western security agencies. Russia is deeply concerned about these developments. This terrorist activity poses a direct threat to the stability of friendly Mali and could have the most serious consequences for the entire region." 

Mali’s military junta, which first took power in a coup in 2020, Monday announced that both the chief of the armed forces’ general staff, Gen. Oumar Diarra, and the director of the national security agency, Gen. Modibo Koné, have been wounded in attacks.

The government confirmed earlier that Sadio Camara, said to be the second most important figure in Mali’s military junta, had been killed in the fighting. Camara was Mali’s defense minister, and is widely credited with bringing in Moscow’s mercenary Africa Corps to assist in battling the militia.

The rebels attempting to take over Mali are said to be jihadists from the Nusrat al-Islam (GSIM/JNIM) linked with the tribesmen of the FLA and other groups, including at least one linked with Islamic State. The GSIM’s declared aim is to turn Mali into an al Qaeda-linked Islamic caliphate with strict Sharia law.

"The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Mali," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital Monday, adding: "We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected. We stand with the Malian people and government in the face of this violence. The United States remains committed to supporting efforts to advance peace, stability, and security across Mali and the region."

The U.S. Embassy in Mali warned Sunday on its website that "U.S. citizens should continue to shelter in place, remain alert, follow local news for updates, and avoid areas where security operations may be underway."

On Monday, multiple reports said Malian troops and Russian mercenaries have also been forced by rebels to withdraw from the northern Malian city of Tessit. At the time of publication, this had not been confirmed by the Malian government.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV last Friday urged African youth to work toward improving their own countries rather than migrating elsewhere in search of better opportunities.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church directed his remarks to university students at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, during an 11-day apostolic journey in Africa. 

"In the face of the understandable tendency to migrate — which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found — I invite you, first and foremost, to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens," Leo said. 

While displacement in Africa has steadily increased in recent years amid economic and political challenges, Leo said each country’s rising generations should be "committed to society," reflect their nations’ needs and confront systemic issues at home.

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"Africa, indeed, must be freed from the scourge of corruption. For young people, this awareness must take root from their years of formation," he said.

"These are the witnesses of wisdom and justice, of which the African continent needs."

He added that through education and spiritual formation, "you learn to become builders of the future of your respective countries and of a world that is more just and humane."

POPE LEO SAYS HE'S UNAFRAID OF THE TRUMP ADMIN AFTER PRESIDENT CALLS HIM 'TERRIBLE' ON FOREIGN POLICY

According to the World Migration Report, most of Africa’s displacement occurs internally within the continent, with 21 million Africans recorded as living in another African country in 2020.

Overseas African migration has also steadily increased, with figures more than doubling between 1990 and 2020.

In 2020, roughly 11 million Africans reportedly migrated to Europe, 5 million to Asia and 3 million to Northern America.

MORNING GLORY: LEO'S LAUNCH

The causes of displacement are largely attributed to political conflict, corruption, violence and economic hardship, including widespread poverty. 

These factors are particularly pronounced in countries such as Somalia, one of Africa’s largest sources of refugees; Nigeria, which is riddled with natural disasters and economic pressures; and Sudan's surrounding areas, where civil war, political instability and food insecurity have driven large-scale displacement.

The Pope’s remarks come just days after President Donald Trump criticized Leo on Truth Social, calling him "weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy." 

The backlash followed the pontiff’s criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and his appeal for a return to peace.

Tensions between the two boiled over several days before the Pope said last Saturday that it was "not in my interest at all" to debate the president.

Leo has insisted that his position is focused on bridging divides among nations and promoting peace and reconciliation.

Testimony at a major South African corruption inquiry was briefly overshadowed Tuesday by an unscripted moment — a suspended police chief with a tissue stuck to his brow.

Julius Mkhwanazi, the former deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, was testifying before the Madlanga Commission when the awkward moment unfolded.

Mkhwanazi, who was suspended in November 2025 amid misconduct allegations, had been wiping sweat from his face after answering questions from the commission.

Part of the tissue, however, remained stuck to his head.

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The slip didn’t go unnoticed for long. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga halted proceedings as the room took in the scene.

"Oh, you have a tissue stuck on your forehead," Madlanga tells the ex-police chief.

"I’m sweaty," Mkhwanazi says. "Thank you, thank you."

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The Madlanga Commission is a public inquiry probing allegations of corruption and political interference in South Africa’s justice system. The current inquiry has been hearing testimony from current and former law enforcement officials.

Mkhwanazi has been under scrutiny since an internal audit recommended his suspension as part of a broader probe into alleged misconduct.