The spreading threat of jihadist terror in West Africa and the Sahel.
Who are the jihadist groups carrying out terror attacks in West Africa? Where do they operate? And how are the security forces in the region coping with the spread of terrorism?
In this episode of The Insight, Viraj Pattni - Senior Regional Intelligence Analyst at Intelligence Fusion - explores the growing deadly terrorist threat in West Africa and the Sahel, carried out by groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and ISIS in Africa.
From Ansaru, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram in Nigeria, to ISIS and Al Qaeda-affiliated groups controlling large areas of territory and committing atrocities across borders in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, jihadist terror has been a growing problem since conflict broke out in Mali in 2012. Now, with terror attacks being carried out in countries such as Togo and Benin, and recruitment efforts and radicalisation being reported in Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, the jihadist threat appears to be spreading even further in the region.
We also look at the impact of political instability in West Africa, with coups in Mali and Burkina Faso, in particular, adding extra complexity to the counter-terrorism efforts. With France’s Barkhane force leaving Mali this year, anti-France protests carried out in Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as against the MINUSMA UN peacekeeping mission, and the increasing involvement of Russian Wagner mercenaries, the cooperation needed to counter the cross-border threat looks increasingly strained. And as instability spreads, security forces fail to counter the terrorist threat, and living conditions worsen, as well as the growing presence of Russia in Africa, could the crisis lead to further political upheaval?
Watch the full episode of The Insight now.
—
Found this episode interesting?
We produce a monthly intelligence summary for the West Africa region, covering security issues such as terrorism, banditry and separatism, as well as the political situation in the region - sign up to our dedicated mailing list here to get the free report: [ Ссылка ]
—
Other content you might find interesting:
The Wagner group and its imprint on Africa: [ Ссылка ]
The jihadist threat in northern Mozambique: [ Ссылка ]
The spread of ISIS in Africa: [ Ссылка ]
—
Chapters:
Intro: 00:00-00:12
What groups are operating in the area? 00:12-03:52
What have jihadist groups been doing in 2022?: 03:52-10:32
How has the political situation affected the jihadist threat? 10:32-14:26
