Future of terrorism in Africa

Hossam al-Haddad

The book “Future of Extremism in Africa: Terrorism and Safe Refuges”, which was released by al-Mesbar Studies and Research Center, focuses on the expansion of activities by terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram in Nigeria and Shabab al-Mujahidin in Mozambique.

The book also focuses on other homegrown terrorist groups, but ones whose activities have started taking on a continental proportion.

Africa, the book says, has turned into a safe refuge for terrorist groups whose members are escaping the inferno that is Iraq and Syria now.

Altering allegiance between the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaeda, the book says, is also a new phenomenon and a contentious issue among terrorist groups.

It adds that ISIS has already become a brand all terrorist groups in Africa seek to be connected with.

It notes that allegiance to either ISIS or al-Qaeda is falling at the heart of tensions and conflicts between terrorist groups in the continent.

The book details the reasons behind the emergence of Islamist extremism in Africa. It says the presence of safe incubators in some countries of the continent encourages terrorist groups to take root and grow in these countries.

This is especially evident with ISIS members escaping their strongholds in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

The book also throws light on the reasons why the different branches of ISIS are working to gain presence in the African continent.