<
https://theconversation.com/west-africa-could-soon-have-a-jihadist-state-heres-why-244008>
"The Sahel region of Africa, between the Sahara and the tropical savannahs to
the south, has emerged as a significant base of groups that want to establish
jihadist states.
A jihadist state is a structure that operates under Islamic law, or sharia, and
is directed by a single leader, or caliph, who combines political and religious
roles.
Groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda are committed to the establishment of
these states, denouncing democratic governance.
Their influence and operational model are on the rise. They are radicalising
the population, heightening sectarian strife and aggravating the difficulties
of already volatile regions.
Operating in parts of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad, these groups
aspire to form a jihadist caliphate in the Sahel region.
As a scholar of security, I have been researching terrorism, insurgency,
transnational organised crime and state fragility in Africa since about 2019.
I believe the key factors that could aid the establishment of a jihadist state
in the Sahel region of west Africa include mutually reinforcing issues such as
population explosion, failure of governance and endemic poverty. Porous
borders, arms trafficking, the presence of forests where people can hide,
connection to global terrorist groups, and the recent coups in the region are
also factors. The coups created a setback for counterterrorism efforts led by
the elected governments.
Terrorism is driven by the spread of violent extremist groups. In the Sahel, a
large population of poor people serves as a source of recruitment by the
jihadists."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
