http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25495441http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25495441http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25495441

The capture in January of Mali’s central town of Konna
by Islamist militants prompted France’s military
intervention. With 4,500 French troops on the ground,
the insurgents were quickly ousted from northern towns
– to the delight of some residents unhappy about their
imposition of strict Islamic law, which banned smoking.

The Super Eagles delighted Nigerian football fans by
winning the African Cup of Nations, hosted by South
Africa, in February. It was first time the Nigerian national
side had played in a Nations Cup final since losing to
Cameroon on penalties 13 years ago.

Zimbabweans went to the polls twice this year – once
in March in a referendum on a new constitution - and
again in July in presidential elections, won by
incumbent President Robert Mugabe. Many of his more
fashion-conscious supporters have been seen sporting a
new designer label emblazoned with his signature.

In neighbouring South Africa, bling was more in vogue
with the fashionistas – who dressed up here for a
fashion competition at the horse races in Durban.

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo continued to be
dominated by the rebellion led by M23 fighters – seen
here training at a military training camp in May. But
following a major offensive by the army and a newly
deployed UN intervention force, the rebel movement
admitted defeat in November.

In June, Senegal’s guard of honour prepared to welcome
US President Barack Obama, who was on the first leg of
his African tour and which also took in South Africa and
Tanzania.

Two years since the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab
was driven from Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, services
and hobbies have been rejuvenating life in the city. Here
a crowd watched young boxers train on Lido beach.

Three states in north-eastern Nigeria were put under
emergency rule this year to allow the security forces to
fight an Islamist insurgency. For the first time in four
years, the Eid durbar in August was held in Maiduguri,
the capital of Borno state and the city which had been
the base of the Boko Haram militant group.

Kenya was hit by a terror attack in September when
Islamist militants attacked the Westgate shopping centre
on a busy Saturday, killing 67 people...

... the siege went on for four days and Kenyans of all
faiths and political persuasions united in their response
to the attack - and the hashtag #weareone began
trending on Twitter.

Sudan witnessed deadly protests prompted by the
removal of fuel subsidies. Here demonstrators used their
phones to upload protest clips online to spread the
word. Officials in October said more than 85 people were
killed – though activists say the number was at least
200. Sudan's economy has been in trouble since South
Sudan ceded in 2011, taking with it 75% of the oil
reserves.

Sudan and South Sudan agreed to resume pumping oil in
March after a bitter dispute over fees – but the situation
in the South, one of the least developed regions of the
world, unravelled in December in a dispute between the
president and his former deputy - with overtones of an
ethnic conflict, which left more 1,000 dead by the end of
the year.

The world mourned the death of Nelson Mandela in
December. The anti-apartheid fighter and South Africa's
first democratically elected president was born in 1918
and grew up in the village of Qunu, pictured here, where
he was buried on 15 December.

Mr Mandela's widow Graca Machel and his ex-wife
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (L) were among some 4,500
family members and foreign dignitaries at the state
funeral.

pictures