1. A fast deteriorating crisis
The security crisis in the region started in 2012 when an alliance of separatist and Islamist militants took over northern Mali, triggering a French military intervention to oust them as they advanced towards the capital, Bamako. A peace deal was signed in 2015 but was never completely implemented and new armed groups have since emerged and expanded to central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Casualties from attacks in those countries are believed to have increased fivefold since 2016, with over 4,000 deaths reported last year alone.2. The most deadly places
A stretch of land covering the border areas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is at the centre of the insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. Armed groups, including some linked to al-Qaeda and others the Islamic State group, have expanding their presence and capabilities. The reasons behind their expansion are multiple:- Porous borders and little state presence in some areas
- They have set up lucrative money-raising activities, such as imposing taxes, and trafficking drugs, weapons and people, which help fund their activities
- Soldiers fighting the militants appear to be under-trained and poorly equipped, despite the regional and international support they receive
3. Not just jihadists behind the violence
Most attacks on civilians remain unclaimed but the main armed Islamist militant groups in the Sahel are:- Al-Qaeda affiliated Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin - JNIM
- Islamic State Group in the Greater Sahara - ISGS
- Ansarul Islam
- Katiba Macina
- Other armed groups with ethnic or political affiliations have also emerged
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