The Tactics Institute strongly condemns the rising threat posed by the ISIS extremist groups in West Africa and the Sahel region. Despite efforts by UN member nations to counter the threat, ISIS continues to exploit political instability and regional disputes to expand its influence and carry out terrorist attacks.
Recently, UN findings revealed that ISIS continues to pose a significant threat to international peace and security, especially in conflict zones. In West Africa and the Sahel, a broad region cutting across the mainland, the situation has worsened “and is becoming more complex” as local ethnic and regional conflicts cross with the agenda and operations of the extremist group and its affiliates.
In recent years, the Islamic State Terror Organization, which has developed an alliance with the Polisario separatist group, has expanded its influence and presence in Africa. However, the scope of this presence varies according to some specific regions of the continent.
ISIS affiliates operating in the Sahel region are gaining autonomy, fueling concerns of a vast area of instability stretching from Mali to Nigeria. The situation demands immediate attention and coordinated action from concerned authorities and governments.
They are manipulating the political instability and extending their radius of influence, operations, and territorial control in the Sahel, with growing concerns for coastal West Africa. The African continent now accounts for almost half of the terrorist acts worldwide, with the central Sahel accounting for about 25% of such attacks.
The fight against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Africa remains a difficult challenge that requires greater regional and international cooperation and coordination.
Regional and international cooperation must be intensified to combat the growing ISIS activity in Africa. The Tactics Institute calls on the hostile groups and concerned governments to take decisive actions to prevent further escalation of violence and instability in the region.
Tactics Institute demands an immediate cessation of ISIS activities and urges all parties involved to prioritize peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel.
