Africa: All of Africa Today - April 4, 2025

**Sudanese Army Airstrikes Destroy RSF Militia's Vehicles and Supplies**

Warplanes conducted five airstrikes on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions in El-Fashir. They destroyed three tractor-trailer trucks, five Land Cruisers, and a ZS vehicle. This vehicle was loaded with weapons and supplies heading to Mellit.

Special Forces and Joint Forces continued operations in El-Fashir neighborhoods. They uncovered hidden weapon caches and prevented militia infiltration. The seized weapons thwarted attempts by militia members to enter El-Fashir.

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**Lesotho Hit With Highest U.S. Tariff After Trump's 'Nobody' Remark**

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Lesotho. This is the highest tariff on any country he targeted. In March, Trump called Lesotho a country "nobody had ever heard of."

Lesotho's trade surplus with the U.S. mainly comes from diamonds and textiles. In 2024, the U.S. exported $2.8 million worth of goods to Lesotho. However, imports from Lesotho totaled $237.3 million.

The White House claimed that Lesotho imposed a 99% tariff on U.S. goods.

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**Sahel Alliance Seeks Closer Ties With Russia**

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger foreign ministers held talks with Russia recently. They aim to strengthen relations after cutting ties with France. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended these meetings.

The discussions focused on political, military, and economic cooperation under the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). This alliance was formed by the three military-led governments in 2023.

Military juntas took power in coups between 2020 and 2023 in these countries. They expelled French forces and withdrew from Ecowas, seeking assistance from Russia instead.

Russia has already signed defense agreements with the AES countries and provided arms training.

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**South African Court Ruling in Nigeria Pastor Case Described as 'Assault' on Fight Against Gender-Based Violence**

Parliament's Justice Committee condemned the acquittal of televangelist Timothy Omotoso and two co-accused individuals on serious charges like rape and human trafficking. They called it a setback for gender-based violence (GBV) efforts.

The Gqeberha High Court ruled that prosecutors failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt due to improper conduct during the trial. Justice Committee Chairperson Xola Nqola described this outcome as an "assault" on GBV efforts.

This ruling follows the murder of activist Pamela Mabini, who supported witnesses in the case. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is reviewing the judgment for possible legal options.