Bashar Assad’s fall shocked the world. The ripple effects of this event will impact more than just the Middle East. The growing power vacuum in Africa will likely widen, opening the door for another nation to assert its influence over Africa. Who will take advantage of this opportunity?

France’s Eviction

On November 29, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye asked France to close its military bases in his country: “Senegal is an independent country … sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country.”

Hours later, Chad’s government ended its defense cooperation agreement with France. Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said, “[I]t is time for Chad to assert its full sovereignty, and to redefine its strategic partnerships according to national priorities.” This comes months after Chad expelled 60 American soldiers from its borders.

This may mark the end of France’s influence in Africa. France had already pulled its troops from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Chad was the headquarters of France’s African influence.

“If Chad doesn’t exist, the French Army will have a huge problem to keep running its other operations,” according to Ulf Laessing, director of the Sahel Program at Mali’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The 1,000 French troops in Chad comprise the second-highest concentration of French troops in any African country. It has 600 in the Ivory Coast and 350 in Senegal and Gabon. France was already planning to pull 700 troops from Chad, 500 from the Ivory Coast and 250 from Senegal and Gabon. Chad’s and Senegal’s requests show how fast French influence is fading.

Russia’s Loosening Grip

Russia would love to replace France as the main influence over Chad and Senegal as it did in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. This would allow Russia to influence these nations to support its operations in other African states and better dodge Western sanctions.

But this will be difficult. Chad and Senegal want to maintain relations with the West. And Assad’s loss in Syria will hurt Russia’s ability to maintain its current African empire.

Russia was very close to Assad: Moscow sent military aid to help Assad and granted him asylum when he fled the country. It used Syrian bases to fly military contractors to and from Africa. Russia’s African influence was somewhat dependent on its Syrian alliance. Now it has lost a major launchpad for that influence.

Russia needs more resources in Africa. It has only a few thousand troops there and is facing low recruitment numbers. Even these troops may not be fully loyal; the 2023 Wagner coup brought their allegiance into question. In addition, Moscow needs to move more resources into Ukraine, especially after Kyiv’s recent incursion into Kursk.

Assad’s loss will likely undermine Russia’s ability to maintain its African empire. Russia may soon have to pull out.

If these powers aren’t going to control Africa, who will?

Iran’s Opportunity

One likely candidate is Iran.

Right now, it looks like Iran could be on the way out. In under 18 months, it has lost almost all of its influence in the Middle East. It was kicked out of Syria, watched its proxies in Gaza and Lebanon be all but destroyed, and now faces a second Donald Trump term, which will likely bankrupt it.

Iran needs another region to assert its influence. Now that other powers are being forced out, Africa seems the obvious answer. Iran already has some influence there, and its alliance with Russia could open the door for Tehran to take over Moscow’s current empire.

This all fits the sure word of Bible prophecy.

Africa in Prophecy

The book of Daniel prophesies what will happen to Africa in “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4, 9), the time we are in now.

Daniel 11:40 warns of a coming clash between “the king of the south”—radical Islam, led by Iran—and “the king of the north”—a coming reincarnation of Europe’s Holy Roman Empire. (To prove these identities, read our free booklet History and Prophecy of the Middle East.)

Verses 42-43 reveal that Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia will ally with Iran. Other countries, especially those that neighbor these specific countries, could join the king of the south.

Because Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia are not yet on Iran’s side, we know that Iran’s influence will soon spread. Now that Iran has largely lost its influence over Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, it seems it has no choice but to turn its attention to Africa.

Syria’s revolution set the stage for a major fulfillment of Bible prophecy by putting Iran in a position where it turns to Africa and weakening Russia’s influence there.

In the July issue of the Philadelphia Trumpet, Mihailo S. Zekic wrote: “If … several thousand [Russian soldiers] were taken out of the picture, radical Islam could spread through the region [of Africa] like wildfire. Or the juntas could shop for other sponsors, giving Iran an even bigger opening.”

However, Daniel’s prophecy doesn’t end there. Verse 40 says Europe will fight against Iran and its allies “like a whirlwind.” What does this mean? Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote: “If you are in a whirlwind, it whirls all around you. Even now, we can see that the German strategy is to surround Iran and its allies.”

This prophecy reveals Europe will also soon spread its influence in Africa. The Trumpet expects Iran and Europe to struggle for control over African nations. (This has already started.) Russia’s loss in Syria may also open the door for Europe to step into Africa.

Regardless of how the details play out, know that Bible prophecy is sure. The Europe-Iran struggle for Africa is coming, as is the whirlwind attack against the king of the south. The Bible reveals this war will start nuclear World War iii.

To learn more about Iran and this coming clash, read Mr. Flurry’s free booklet The King of the South.