147 attacks and 1,422 deaths: Terrorist activity in Africa during third quarter of 2021

Mahmoud al-Batakoushi

Africa witnessed increased terrorist activity in the third quarter of 2021 (July, August and September), as the pace of sabotage operations and acts of violence increased, with 147 terrorist attacks (48 in September, 50 in August, and 49 in July), killing 1,422 people and wounding 418, along with 114 detained and 211 kidnapped.

The pace of terrorist acts slightly decreased in September compared to August and July, recording 48 terrorist attacks, killing 248 people, and injuring more than 128 others, in addition to kidnapping 32 civilians and soldiers. August witnessed 50 attacks, with 460 wounded and 30 kidnapped, while July witnessed 49 terrorist attacks, which resulted in the killing of about 200 people and the injury of more than 160 others, in addition to the kidnapping of 149 civilians and soldiers.

Al-Shabaab topped the index of terrorist operations in Africa, with 55 operations, 50 of them in Somalia and 6 in Kenya. These operations killed 162 people and injured more than 200 others. Most of these attacks took two main patterns: armed confrontations and the detonation of explosive devices, as well as assassinations and suicide bombings, which come as a preemptive step for armed confrontations, in an attempt to impose their agendas and make their political, social and religious goals imposed on the Somali people, especially as that movement seeks to take power, which some liken to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

On the other hand, the Somali forces supported by AMISOM are intensifying their military operations to undermine the activities of Al-Shabaab, which has made the movement suffer unprecedented losses since the beginning of this year. These forces dealt heavy blows to the movement, killing about 430 terrorist elements in Somalia, which led to the reduction of the areas controlled by the terrorist movement.

The index of terrorist operations in the third quarter of this year in West Africa decreased by a large percentage compared to the previous period, as Boko Haram launched 30 terrorist operations, including bombings and assassinations, resulting in 187 deaths, 105 injured, and 156 abductees. Thanks to the successful security strikes, about 6,000 Al-Shabaab fighters with their families recently surrendered to the Nigerian government, while their crushing war with ISIS greatly contributed to the weakening of both parties, especially Boko Haram, which lost its leader, Abubakar Shekau.

The index also decreased in the Central Africa region, where it witnessed 9 terrorist operations by ISIS, which resulted in 121 deaths, dozens of injuries and 20 abductees, all of which were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Niger, which is under the control of ISIS, has witnessed 11 operations that killed nearly 140 people and injured dozens. In return, the Nigerien forces are confronting them with all force and firmness, and the security operations and armed confrontations resulted in the killing of about 150 terrorist elements.

As for Cameroon and Chad, they witnessed 5 terrorist attacks, which resulted in the kidnapping of 15 people in Cameroon, the killing of 40 people, and the injury of dozens in Chad.

In Mali, terrorist activity declined during, as the country witnessed 22 terrorist operations, which resulted in the killing of about 85 and the injury of more than 35 others. Security operations resulted in the killing of 20 terrorist elements and the arrest of two leaders.

As for Burkina Faso, it witnessed 18 terrorist operations that killed more than 160 people and injured dozens, and security operations resulted in the killing of about 125 terrorist elements.

The problem of terrorism in Africa requires concerted efforts regionally and internationally. In order to eradicate this malignant wort, the confrontation must also be at the intellectual and military level until these extremist groups are exposed, their flaws and beliefs and their distance from true religion are revealed, and terrorist elements are eliminated, especially with ISIS’s attempt to control West Africa, which represents for it a lifeline and last resort to establish its state project after its collapse in Syria and Iraq. ISIS began to change its strategies in West Africa to gain the support of citizens in that region by relying on meeting their needs, far from the policy of intimidation used by Boko Haram.