Publication

This paper highlights that the Sahel region in Western Africa is witnessing a massive surge in terrorist attacks. Three countries — Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — reported 4000 deaths in 2019 and the trend of casualties caused by attacks by al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked outfits is continuing. The text’s authors argue that the governments and militaries of the affected states are ill prepared to deal with the increase in violence. Further, with the US considering military cuts in Africa, current French forces and peacekeeping forces present in the region may not be able to prevent the violence from spreading.