Also known as: ISIS
Islamic State group — militant organization active in multiple regions including the Sahel, Syria, and Europe, with attacks and prosecutions documented across 2026.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Islamic State group
Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… It added that testimonies indicated that the attack was carried out by the Islamic State group's Sahel branch. …
Military ups death toll in Mali attack to 54The Standard
… The council warned that Somalia faces multiple challenges, including threats from Al Shabaab and ISIS, potential El Niño-related flooding, climate-driven droughts and intensifying regional rivalries. …
Letter from Mogadishu: Somalis to elect new president through universal suffrage in MayCitizen Digital
… In 2017, the US military in Afghanistan dropped the "MOAB" to target Islamic State group hideouts in a complex of tunnels and bunkers, killing more than 90 militants.
US considers hitting Iran with 'Mother of All Bombs': CNNThe Standard
… The authorities later announced the arrest of those responsible, saying they belonged to the Islamic State group. …
Attack on bus in Syria kills seven: state news agencyThe Standard
Audio By Vocalize Six French nationals went on trial on Sunday, as Iraq moves to prosecute thousands of suspected Islamic State group members. …
French IS suspects stand trial in IraqThe Standard
… Mali has been wracked since 2012 by a serious security crisis, notably fuelled by violence from jihadists allied to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, along with criminal gangs and armed separatists. …
Death toll passes 100 soldiers in Mali attack last week: sourcesCitizen Digital
… It said an investigation had been opened.Kobane carries symbolic value for the Kurds, as it was there that Kurdish fighters pushed back and defeated Islamic State group jihadists in 2015, marking a turning point in the war.
Prison riot fire in Kurdish-majority town kills at least seven in SyriaCitizen Digital
… efore the ATRC shows how the Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country." Zada's son, Abdullah Haji Zada pleaded guilty -- alongside a co-conspirator, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi -- to plotting an attack on US election day in 2024 on behalf of the Islamic State …
Afghan woman removed from US on orders of 'terror court'Capital News
… Instead, Washington framed the visit around its longstanding security relationship with Kenya, including cooperation on regional stability, maritime security and countering shared threats such as al-Shabaab and ISIS. …
USS Ross arrives in Mombasa after supporting US operation against IranThe Standard
… ssia for security after breaking with France, its historic colonial ruler, in the wake of the coup.Despite trumpeting pan-African and pro-independence messages, all three have welcomed Russian mercenaries to help fight jihadists loyal to either Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group …
Thwarted Niger mutiny exposes junta's Russia dependenceMali's armed forces said they discovered 54 bodies after attacks on camps in the Menaka region last weekend, an increase of six from previous reports. According to testimony, the Islamic State group's Sahel branch carried out the attack.
25 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Mali's armed forces said they discovered 54 bodies after attacks on camps in the Menaka region last weekend, an increase of six from previous reports. According to testimony, the Islamic State group's Sahel branch carried out the attack.
25 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Somalia's electoral commission has set parliamentary elections for April 15, 2027, and presidential elections for May 15, 2027, to be held through universal suffrage with political parties—the first direct elections since 1969. The announcement has triggered political controversy, with the opposition demanding dialogue and refusing to recognize a constitutional amendment that extended the presidential term to five years.
24 October 2026 · The Standard →
The US is considering using its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb against Iran to target energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, according to CNN reporting. Military officials have raised doubts about the bomb's effectiveness at destroying suspected underground nuclear facilities.
15 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A shooting attack on a bus in Homs province, central Syria, on Wednesday killed seven people and wounded four others, according to state media. The perpetrators have not yet been identified, and passengers included engineers, workers, and a Syrian Electricity Company employee.
30 September 2026 · The Standard →
Six French nationals went on trial in Iraq on Sunday as the country prosecutes thousands of suspected Islamic State group members. They are part of a larger group of 47 French citizens transferred from Syria last year.
20 September 2026 · The Standard →
At least 100 soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack on the Dioura military base in Mali on September 10, one of the deadliest assaults on the Malian army since the conflict began nearly 15 years ago. Multiple sources report over 80 soldiers were taken prisoner, the camp was abandoned, and its weaponry removed.
19 September 2026 · The Standard →
A fire started by prisoners during a riot in Kobane, Syria's northern Kurdish-majority town, killed at least seven inmates according to state media, though the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported nine deaths. Violence erupted in the town this week as residents protested over the killing of a former Kurdish fighter.
12 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nazira Haji Zada, 47, a Texas resident accused of supporting a mass shooting plot, was removed from the United States on August 25 on orders of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), marking the first case heard by the special court established by Congress 30 years ago.
12 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross arrived in Mombasa on September 5 for a scheduled port visit following its deployment in the US Fifth Fleet area, where it supported Operation Epic Fury and the US blockade against Iran since April. The visit is framed around US-Kenya security cooperation on regional stability, maritime security, and countering shared threats.
5 September 2026 · Capital News →
Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps played a decisive role in helping Niger's military government suppress a mutiny over the weekend in the capital Niamey, exposing the junta's dependence on Moscow at odds with its stated goal of reclaiming national sovereignty from foreign powers.
1 September 2026 · The Standard →
Russia's African Corps assisted Niger in repelling an attempted coup on Saturday that involved explosions and gunfire at military and presidential sites in Niamey; authorities said the rebellion was contained and the situation is under control of President Gen Abdourahmane Tiani.
31 August 2026 · Capital News →
Apple removed Telegram from its App Store on Monday, citing violation of guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material, but restored it later that evening after the platform removed the content and banned the user who posted it.
4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Google announced a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of satellite imagery using its Nano Banana 2 image-generation technology, but researchers and open-source intelligence experts have warned it could enable bad actors to create realistic geospatial fakes and misuse a key fact-checking resource.
1 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The United States and Saudi Arabia struck positions belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces), a network of Shia-majority armed factions established in 2014 to fight the Islamic State group, which includes powerful pro-Iran groups that have long threatened Washington.
30 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
German authorities recovered a video from the phone of suspected attacker Abdul Ballout, 21, in which he claims responsibility for the weekend assault at Berlin's Pride festival in Tiergarten park on behalf of the Islamic State. As of Tuesday, one person had died and 29 others were injured in the attack; police shot and killed Ballout shortly after.
29 July 2026 · The Standard →
A white minivan struck people near Berlin's Christopher Street Day Pride event on Saturday evening, killing one woman and injuring 29 others. Police identified the chief suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout, a German citizen of Lebanese origin and alleged Islamic State supporter with a May criminal conviction.
26 July 2026 · The Standard →
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would remove Syria from the United States' list of designated state sponsors of terrorism, following a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Turkey. Trump previously signed an executive order terminating U.S. sanctions on Syria, and Saudi firms are planning billion-dollar investments to support the country's post-civil war recovery.
9 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has called for stronger political and financial backing for the AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), arguing that sustainable African-led financing is needed to maintain security gains against Al-Shabaab and reduce reliance on external funding.
8 July 2026 · Capital News →
An Austrian court sentenced a Syrian ex-general and former police officer to eight years in jail for torturing opponents of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. The trial used universal jurisdiction, allowing European courts to rule on serious crimes committed abroad.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A Viennese court on Monday sentenced a Syrian ex-general and former police officer each to eight years in jail for torturing opponents of Bashar al-Assad. The trial used universal jurisdiction, a legal tool enabling European courts to prosecute serious crimes alleged to have been committed abroad.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The United States has withdrawn most troops that were deployed to Nigeria for a special operation against Islamic State fighters in the Lake Chad region, where US and Nigerian forces killed nearly 200 IS fighters in May, including the group's global second-in-command. The US continues to maintain a broader training and technical assistance presence in Nigeria through intelligence sharing and partnership with the Nigerian military.
4 July 2026 · The Standard →
Jihadists and separatist Tuareg rebels launched coordinated attacks across Mali on Saturday, striking multiple northern and central towns and a prison near the capital. The attacks came two months after a similar operation in which the country's defence minister was killed.
4 July 2026 · The Standard →
Syria's health ministry said the death toll from a bomb attack at a Damascus cafe rose to 10, with 21 people wounded. The bombing, described as the deadliest since a suicide attack on a church last year, occurred near the Palace of Justice and was caused by a homemade explosive device packed with metal fragments.
4 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A South African court sentenced three people to life in jail for the 2018 murders of British botanist couple Rachel and Rodney Saunders, who were kidnapped while collecting seeds in the Ngoye Forest near Durban. Sayefudeen Aslam Del Vecchio, Fatima Patel, and Musa Jackson were also convicted of kidnapping, robbery and theft, and stole the couple's vehicle, equipment and credit card.
3 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The United States announced it will withdraw support for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia after 2026, a move that could affect peace operations in Somalia and the Horn of Africa. UNSOS provides air transport, engineering, medical support and equipment to African Union forces; its withdrawal would require the AU and troop-contributing countries to find alternative funding and support arrangements.
2 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first World Cup point when Yoane Wissa scored against Portugal on June 17, providing rare celebration in Bunia, the epicentre of the country's Ebola outbreak which has infected over 1,100 people and caused 279 deaths across the DRC and Uganda.
26 June 2026 · The Standard →
Niger has officially submitted its withdrawal request from the ICC on 18 June, nine months after announcing its intent alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, citing the court as an "instrument of neo-colonialist repression". The withdrawal takes effect one year after notification, and Niger must honour its obligations to the court until that date.
24 June 2026 · Capital News →
Niger has officially submitted its request to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, with the withdrawal taking effect one year after notification on June 18, 2026. The junta-ruled country, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, announced the move in September, characterizing the ICC as an "instrument of neo-colonial repression in the hands of imperialism."
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
Gunmen attacked Diori Hamani international airport in Niamey on Thursday, killing 35 people comprising 22 assailants, 11 soldiers, and two civilians. Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM claimed responsibility for the assault, the second attack on the airport in less than five months.
19 June 2026 · Capital News →
Suspected jihadists from the Lakurawa group killed more than 20 people in a raid on the Fesken Rafi community in Kebbi state near the Niger border, according to a confidential security report prepared for the United Nations. The attack followed a period of reduced violence by the group and may signal a resurgence of operations.
14 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →