A UN Human Rights Office report describing a multitude of atrocious rights violations in South Sudan especially singles out government forces for a campaign of mass rape.
US drones and warplanes killed more than 150 al-Shabab militants in Somalia, with the Pentagon citing an "imminent threat" to US and African Union forces.
At least 6,000 villagers have fled their homes in Mozambique across the border to Malawi amid renewed fighting between the government and RENAMO guerillas.
The UN human rights expert for Sudan warned that fighting between government forces and rebels in Darfur has left tens of thousands displaced over the past two weeks.
Amnesty International reports that satellite images show five possible mass graves in Burundi, which may be connected to December's massacre of protesters.
As Boko Haram continues its campaign of suicide attacks in northern Cameroon, the army is enforcing a "free-fire zone" along the Nigerian border, claiming still more local lives.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb issued a statement saying the Ouagadougou attack was carried out by "mujahideen brothers" of its West African franchise, al-Mourabitoun.
A sharia court in Nigeria sentenced a sufi cleric and nine of his followers to death by hanging on the charge of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda formally closed after issuing 45 judgments, with 61 sentenced to terms of up to life imprisonment for involvement in the 1994 genocide.
Rwandans approved a referendum potentially allowing President Paul Kagame to stay in power for another 17 years—drawing protests from the US State Department.
In a landmark victory for Nigerian farmers, the Hague Court of Appeals ruled that Royal Dutch Shell can be sued in a Netherlands court over oil spills in the Niger Delta.
Human rights advocates are demanding an investigation following a Nigerian army raid on a Shi'ite sect in which hundreds of followers were reportedly killed in Zaria city.
