We are deeply concerned about the recent flash floods in the village of Nyamukubi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Flash floods can occur without warning, leaving little time to evacuate or prepare. They are often caused by heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt, and can cause widespread damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure. In the case of Nyamukubi, the flooding has caused significant damage to roads, bridges, and homes, leaving many families without shelter or access to basic services.

Sixteen European governments have issued a statement to "firmly condemn the deployment of mercenary troops" in the west African state of Mali.

The 16 governments, including France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany, said they were aware of "the involvement of the Russian Federation government in providing material support to the deployment of the Wagner group in Mali and call on Russia to revert to a responsible and constructive behavior in the region."

Military coups have been a regular occurrence in Africa in the decades since independence and there is now concern they are becoming more frequent.

Sudan has this year experienced two such events, one in September which failed and the latest in which Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan dissolved the civilian arm of a transitional government and took over.

In Guinea, President Condé was ousted by the army in September and in neighbouring Mali there have been two interventions by the army in less than a year, the most recent one in May.

In Niger, a coup was thwarted in March just days before a presidential inauguration.

So are military interventions occurring more often on the continent?

A coup is under way in Sudan, where the military has dissolved civilian rule, arrested political leaders and declared a state of emergency.

The coup leader Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan has blamed political infighting.

Protesters have taken to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and other cities and there are reports of gunfire.

Military and civilian leaders have been at odds since long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was overthrown two years ago and a transitional government set up.

Army and paramilitary troops have been deployed across the capital, Khartoum airport is closed, and international flights are suspended. The internet is also down.

BBC Arabic's Mohamed Osman, in Khartoum, says large numbers of protestors are demanding the return of civilian rule and that demonstrations have spread to a number of other locations, including the cities of Atbara, Wad Madani and Port Sudan.

More protestors are expected to be drawn to the streets in the coming hours after calls for action by political parties and professional unions, our correspondent adds.

Tigrayan forces reject allegations by local officials in Amhara region they killed scores of villagers earlier this month.

Doctors and local officials have said more than 120 civilians were massacred in Ethiopia’s Amhara region earlier this month, but forces from neighbouring Tigray rejected allegations they were responsible.

The killings in Chenna village, near the town of Dabat, took place in early September, according to Sewnet Wubalem, the local administrator in Dabat, and Chalachew Dagnew, spokesperson of the nearby city of Gondar told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

“So far we have recovered 120 bodies. They were all innocent farmers. But we think the number might be higher. There are people who are missing,” Sewnet said.

Mulugeta Melesa, head of the hospital in Dabat, told the AFP news agency, “There were 125 dead in Chenna village … I saw the mass grave myself.”

Mulugeta added that residents were “still searching for dead bodies around the area and counting is still going on”.

Chalachew, the Gondar city spokesperson, also said he had visited the burial area in the village and that children, women and elderly were among the dead.

He was quoted by Reuters as saying the killings were during the Tigrayan forces’ “short presence” in the area, and it was now under the control of the Ethiopian federal army.