The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to endorse the African Union’s new transitional mission in Somalia and authorized it to take action against al-Qaida and Islamic State extremist groups and conduct a phased handover of security responsibilities to Somalia’s government. The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, known as …

The U.N. secretary-general has called for Mali and its “bilateral partners” to respect their international obligations as concerns grow over human rights violations by the West African country’s military in its battle with jihadists. While acknowledging “widespread attacks by extremists,” Antonio Guterres told the U.N. Security Council that Mali’s counter-terrorism …

he leader of Georgia’s Moscow-backed separatist region of South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, says the de facto independent territory is looking to hold a referendum on joining Russia, a move Tbilisi called “unacceptable.” Bibilov said in an interview with Russian state television on March 31 that South Ossetia was holding “consultations” …