Challenges to counterterrorism efforts in Sahel region

Mohamed Youssri

Africa has already become a hotspot of terrorist activities, especially in the Sahel and Sahara region where terrorism is turning into a headache, not only for the region, but also for the rest of the world.

Rampant terrorist activity in this region is encouraging a number of countries to be militarily involved in it.

French Minister of Defense Florence Parly declared on January 21 that the border triangle between Mali, Burkina Face and Niger would witness military operations against terrorist organizations, against the background of increasing terrorist activities in it.

Nonetheless, a number of challenges face international military action against terrorist groups in the region.

Victims

About 2,200 terrorist attacks took place in the region in the past four years, leaving 11,500 people dead and thousands of others injured, according to a report by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It said the same attacks caused millions of the residents of the region to be displaced as well as major economic losses.

The ECOWAS report was presented in September during a meeting of the heads of the states and the governments of the organization.

President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, cited the most salient challenges facing counterterrorism in the region.

Terrorism, he said, has become a phenomenon that knows now borders.

Borders

All terrorist groups active in the region want to establish what they call “Islamic caliphate”. They want to establish this caliphate in territories where there are conflicts and those that do not have strong state control.

The Sahel and Sahara region has its own peculiarities. The terrorist groups active in the border area between the states of the region use a legal loophole that gives people living in this area freedom of movement.

This freedom of movement is guaranteed by agreements signed by the members states of ECOWAS. This organization is made up of 14 member states.