This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-68382809#0

The article has changed 92 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 70 Version 71
Africa Live: Tyla cancels world tour over 'worsened' injury - BBC News Africa Live: Tyla cancels world tour over 'worsened' injury - BBC News
(about 1 hour later)
BBC Monitoring Kennedy Gondwe
The world through its media BBC News, Lusaka
The so-called Islamic State group (IS) has belatedly said it carried out the 25 February attack on a Catholic church in north-eastern Burkina Faso, in which at least 15 people were killed. Zambia has announced it will start rationing its electricity, as the effects of the drought that's hitting much of southern Africa continues to bite.
IS issued the claim on 7 March through its weekly newspaper al-Naba, which offered a round-up of the group's recent activities in the Sahel. Eight hours of load shedding per day will begin by the start of next week, announced the managing director of the state-owned power company Zesco on Thursday.
It said that IS militants armed with guns attacked a church in the village of Essakane in Oudalan province, near the border with Mali, during Sunday service. Victor Mapani said the move was a result of the low water levels at Kariba Dam which is used to generate most of Zambia's hydroelectricity.
"As the mujahidin entered the church gate, they opened fire on the Christians, killing over 15 of them," the group said. He said Zambia would continue importing power from Mozambique to cushion the energy deficit on the economy.
While IS regularly targets Christians and their places of worship in DR Congo and Mozambique, where it has active branches, such attacks by the group in Burkina Faso are not common. IS attacks there normally target armed forces. Mr Mapani advised consumers to use alternative sources of energy.
On the same day as the church attack, unknown assailants attacked a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso, in the town of Natiaboani, reportedly killing dozens of people. While no group claimed responsibility for that attack, IS's rival, al-Qaeda, claimed activity against the army in the same town that day. Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has declared the drought a national emergency and urged local and international partners to help in fighting its effects.
Besides affecting the country’s energy sector, the dry spell is already hurting Zambia’s agriculture sector with an estimated one million subsistence farmers having their planted crops damaged.
FacebookFacebook
TwitterTwitter
ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links.ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links.
Copy this linkCopy this link