Insurgency throughout the Sahel and West Africa
Islamist insurgency in the Sahel Part of the war on terror and spillover of the Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present) Map showing areas where the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara operatesDate 15 February 2011 – present (13 years, 6 months) Location Status
Ongoing
Belligerents
Local governments: Mali Burkina Faso
Niger [ 1] Nigeria Cameroon
Chad [ 2]
Togo [ 3]
Ghana [ 4]
Ivory Coast [ 5]
Benin [ 6]
MINUSMA [ 2] (2013–2023)
AFISMA [ 7] (from 2013)
Al-Qaeda and allies:
AQIM (from 2007)
JNIM (from 2017)
Ansar al-Sharia of Mali (2012–present)
Ansar ul Islam (2016–present)
Al-Mulathameen
Al-Shabaab
Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat remnants[ 2]
Ansar al-Sharia of Mauritania
National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (2012)
IS-GS
Boko Haram (from 2006, partially aligned with ISIL since 2015)[ 22] [ 23]
ISWAP
Ansaru
Islamic Movement of Nigeria Commanders and leaders
Assimi Goïta Choguel Kokalla Maïga Ibrahim Traoré Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla Abdourahamane Tchiani Ali Lamine Zeine Bola Tinubu Paul Biya Joseph Ngute Mahamat Déby Succès Masra Faure Gnassingbé Victoire Tomegah Dogbé Nana Akufo-Addo Alassane Ouattara Robert Beugré Mambé Patrice Talon
Abdelmalek Droukdel † [ 24] Abu Ubaidah Youssef al-Annabi [ 24] Iyad Ag Ghaly [ 25] Amadou Koufa [ 24] Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi † Abu al-Bara al-Sahrawi [ 26] Ibrahim Malam Dicko † Abdoul Salam Dicko [ 27] Strength
Total armed forces:
Mali : 7,350
AFISMA : 2,900[ 7]
Niger : 12,000 Chad : 30,350
France : 5,100 deployed in the Sahel[ 8] [ 9]
Supported by:
United States : 1,325+ advisors, trainers[ 13] [ 28]
AQIM (former GSPC ): 1,000[ 2] [ 29] [ 30] –4,000[ 31]
MUJAO : ~500[ 7]
Al-Mourabitoun : Fewer than 100[ 32]
Ansar Dine : 300[ 33] –10,000[ 7]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Casualties and losses
34,074+ people killed[ a] 3 million displaced[ 38]
An Islamist insurgency has been ongoing in the Sahel region of West Africa since the 2011 Arab Spring . In particular, the intensive conflict in the three countries of Mali , Niger and Burkina Faso has been referred to as the Sahel War .
The conflict is generally seen to have begun during the early stages of the Mali War , which itself was seen as a spillover conflict of the Insurgency in the Maghreb . As Islamist Tuareg rebels overran Mali in 2012, a concurrent insurgency in Nigeria , led by Boko Haram , began to spread to nearby countries. By 2015, the Mali war had spread to Burkina Faso and Niger , which led to heavy fighting and humanitarian crises in both countries. The conflict in Nigeria also reached a climax before a coalition offensive forced insurgents into remission. By 2019, the effects of the region-wide conflict began to accelerate due to resentment within the populace and due to alleged inability to handle the conflict. These views led to a series of coups in Mali , Burkina Faso , Niger , Sudan , Chad and Guinea , which led to the region being labeled a 'coup belt '.
^ "Niger army hunts for Al-Qaeda after clash" . AFP. 15 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ a b c d e "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)" . Council on Foreign Relations . Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2014 .
^ Zodzi, John (13 November 2021). "Togo says repelled possible militant attack near Burkina Faso border" . National Post .
^ https://www.kas.de/documents/261825/16928652/The+jihadist+threat+in+northern+Ghana+and+Togo.pdf/ [bare URL ]
^ "Concern Grows About Jihadi Activity in Ivory Coast" .
^ "Au Bénin, l'armée en état d'alerte après une attaque djihadiste" . La Croix . 3 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-02-11. Retrieved 2022-06-03 .
^ a b c d Salomé Legrand (2013-01-14). "Qui sont les islamistes à qui la France a déclaré la guerre ?" . Francetvinfo.fr. Archived from the original on 2013-03-07. Retrieved 2013-11-22 .
^ a b "4600 soldats français mobilisés" . Ledauphine.com. 2013-01-31. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2013-11-22 .
^ a b "François Hollande's African adventures: The French are reorganising security in an increasingly troubled region" . Economist . Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2022-06-03 .
^ "US Starts Anti-Al-Qaeda Military Exercise in Sahara" . BBC. 3 May 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ "Britain Signals Maghreb Push with Anti-Terror Help" . Reuters Africa. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014.
^ "War on Isis: British Special Forces ambushed by Islamic State suicide bombers in Libya" . International Business Times . 1 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ a b "US, Mali Armies Kick off Exercise Atlas Accord; Postpone Exercise Flintlock" . Defense Web. 13 February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ Pelz, Daniel (29 January 2017). "Bundeswehr in Mali: dangerous, but necessary?" . DW . Retrieved 10 March 2024 .
^ "Swedish Special Forces to Mali" . Försvarsmakten . Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 2020-11-18 .
^ Maclean, Ruth; O'Reilly, Finbarr (March 29, 2020). "Crisis in the Sahel Becoming France's Forever War" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022 .
^ "Flintlock 11 Kicks off February 21 in Senegal" . AFRICOM. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012.
^ "The Danish effort in the Sahel region (MINUSMA and Operation Barkhane)" . fmn.dk . Archived from the original on 2020-09-26. Retrieved 2020-12-25 .
^ "Turkey extends troops deployment in Mali, CAR" . Yeni Safak . 9 October 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2023 .
^ "Turkey extends its military presence in Africa" . Atalayar . 22 October 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2023 .
^ "Mali receives helicopters and weapons from Russia" . Al Jazeera . October 1, 2021. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022 .
^ Cite error: The named reference ibtimes
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ "Niger attacked by both al-Qaeda and Boko Haram" . BBC News . 2016-03-18. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 13 May 2016 .
^ a b c "Three prominent jihadists dominate Sahel after death of al Qaeda leader" . France 24 . 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2024-05-16 .
^ "Al Qaeda Saharan branch leader announces new Jihad phase against juntas" . France 24 . 2023-12-13. Retrieved 2024-05-16 .
^ Nsaibia, Héni (2023-01-13). "Actor Profile: The Islamic State Sahel Province" . ACLED . Retrieved 2024-05-16 .
^ "Burkina Faso wanted list details Ansaroul Islam network" . Long War Journal . 2018-06-24. Retrieved 2024-05-16 .
^ African Lion 12 ready to roar: marine forces in Africa conducts final planning conference , DVIDs hub, archived from the original on 2014-03-05, retrieved 2022-06-03
^ Freeman, Colin (12 June 2014). "Al-Qaeda map: Isis, Boko Haram and other affiliates' strongholds across Africa and Asia" . Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2014 .
^ "Profile: Al-Qaeda in North Africa" . BBC News . 2013-01-17. Archived from the original on 2021-06-06. Retrieved 16 March 2016 .
^ "Mauritania Killings May be New Qaeda Chapter" . Reuters . 11 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ "Mali: qui sont les nouveaux chefs des katibas jihadistes?" . Radio France Internationale. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2014 .
^ Sofia Bouderbala (2 April 2012). "Al-Qaeda unlikely to profit from Mali rebellion: experts" . The Daily Star . Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012 .
^ "Nigeria's Boko Haram has up to 6,000 hardcore militants: U.S. officials" . Reuters . 2015-02-06. Archived from the original on 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2022-06-03 .
^ "Boko Haram HQ Gwoza in Nigeria 'retaken' " . BBC News . 2015-03-27. Archived from the original on 2015-04-25. Retrieved 2022-06-03 .
^ "Boko Haram at a glance" . Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015 .
^ "Terrorism deaths in Africa's Sahel spiked 2,000% in 15 years: Report" . Anadolu Agency . Retrieved 2024-05-14 .
^ a b "Central Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger)" . Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect . Retrieved 2024-05-14 .
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