Article
- +3
Frederic Wehrey, Nathan J. Brown, Bader Al-Saif, …
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Source: Getty
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How West Africa Became Fertile Ground for AQIM and ISIS
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its allies have escalated the race to expand their regional footprint into West Africa’s economic hubs and coastal areas that have hitherto been spared from terrorist violence.
Published on Nov 29, 2016
Source: World Politics Review
The deadly terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire in January and March, respectively, show the deep reach of militants affiliated with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and their ability to bounce back from the military drubbing they received as a result of France’s intervention in the Sahel, which began in 2013. The spectacular attacks are part of a long pattern illustrating the enduring resilience of AQIM and its ability to regenerate itself by adjusting strategy and tactics to mounting pressure from both counterterrorism operations and rising jihadi competition in the Sahel and West African region.
As alliances and rival coalitions reorder themselves in an increasingly chaotic militant landscape, AQIM and its allies have escalated the race to expand their regional footprint into West Africa’s economic hubs and coastal areas that have hitherto been spared from terrorist violence. The expansion and execution of successful terrorist attacks helps AQIM-led groups rebuild their resources and broaden their recruitment base, reaching areas riven by long-simmering communal distrust, festering local conflicts and distrust of state institutions, particularly in marginalized peripheries and rural communities. ...
About the Author
Anouar Boukhars
Former Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Program
Boukhars was a nonresident fellow in Carnegie’s Middle East Program. He is a professor of countering violent extremism and counter-terrorism at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University.
- Islamic Authority and Arab States in a Time of Pandemic
- A Different Type of AllianceCommentary
Anouar Boukhars
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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