The region with more ‘terror deaths’ than rest of world combined happymamay

The Sahel region in Africa is the “Global Terrorism Center”, and now, for the first time, it represents “more than half of all deaths related to terrorism,” according to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI).

Its new report says that in this semi -arid region to the south of the desert desert 3,885 people out of a total of 7555 around the world, says its new report.

The GTI report adds that although the global number decreased from the peak of 11000 in 2015, the Sahel number has increased nearly ten times since 2019, as extremist and rebel groups continue to convert their focus “towards the region.

The index is published by the Institute of Economics and Peace, a center of thinking devoted to the search for peace and global conflict.

It defines terrorism as “threatening or actual use of illegal force and violence by an non -state representative to achieve a political, economic, religious or social goal through fear, coercion or intimidation.”

The coast extends from the western coast of Africa east across the continent. The GTI definition of the region includes parts of 10 countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania.

Sahel contains some of the highest birth rates in the world, and about two -thirds of the population is less than 25 years old.

Unlike the West, as “the only terrorism represented in the height”, the coast, witnessed the rapid expansion of armed jihadist groups, according to the report.

She says most of the attacks carried out by two organizations: the Islamic State Group is affiliated with the coastal and Jama Nasr of the family, Wall Misselman (JNIM)-a branch of al-Qaeda.

“They are trying to provide new legal orders,” explains Niagali Baguyuko, head of the African Security Sector Network. “They are trying to manage justice in particular on the basis of Sharia.”

In this process, she says they “compete with each other” for the sake of Earth and influence.

According to IS -SALIL, the amount of land it controls in Mali since the country’s coup in 2020 and 2021 – largely in the east near its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger – while JNIM also continued to expand its arrival, according to a committee of United Nations experts in Mali.

The GTI report indicates that both groups have recruited more fighters, including ISIS’s children’s soldiers.

“In some cases, people tend to be at an optional point by time they decide to join a militant group,” says Beverly Ocinig, a prominent analyst in Africa, in the risk of control. “These are very weak societies.”

The GTI report explains how political instability and weakness in government create ideal conditions for the rebel groups of growth, pointing to the conflict as the “main driver of terrorism”.

The coast is sometimes referred to as the “coup belt” in Africa.

Since 2020, there have been six successful coups in the region as defined by the GTI report: two in Mali, two in Burkina Faso, one in Guinea and one in Niger. These countries are now run by military festivals.

“The coast has witnessed a collapse in the state community,” says Dr. Fehanemi, Anna, an expert in the region at Soas University in London.

“She has been informed of years of neglect of political leaders who have not necessarily gave priority to the rule that focuses on local persons and grievances, which led to terrorist groups trying to benefit from this ruling.”

There was a perception that civil governments were not able to combat security threats from rebel groups, “but although these festivals are responsible, they did not necessarily improve optics on the ground and in fact the insecurity was exacerbated,” says Dr. Ena. “The festivals are not professionally prepared for governance.”

In fact in 2024, Burkina Faso remained “the country most affected by terrorism for the second year in a row,” according to GTI.

Within 14 years since the report began, it is the only country that leads the list that is not Iraq or Afghanistan.

Jihadist groups maintain their operations on the coast with a set of illegal economic activities, including kidnapping of ransom and theft of livestock, according to the GTI report.

The region has also become a major way for drug dealers who bring cocaine from South America to Europe, and the report indicates that “drug trafficking represents one of the most unlawful unlawful activities related to terrorism in the coast.”

It indicates that some groups deviate from engaging directly in the organized crime, however, preferring “to earn money by imposing taxes or providing security and protection for payment.”

It goes on to explain: “This model not only generates revenues, but also helps these groups to integrate into local communities and enhance their influence.”

Return groups are also competing to control the rich natural resources in Saheel. Niger is the seventh largest uranium producer in the world, and unorganized craftsmanship is often used throughout the region by IS-SARAL and JNIM.

In the aftermath of the last wave of coups, the governments of Sahel moved away from Western allies, such as France and the United States, towards China and Russia to obtain support in the treatment of militants.

“At the present time, we see that Russia is taking over more associate control over the Russian paramilitary forces in the region known as the Corps of Africa [formerly Wagner]MS ochieng says.

As a result, the GTI report warns of the existence of the risk of excessive excessive “” Terrorism Center “to neighboring countries.

In fact, she says that this may actually happen – Togo has recorded 10 attacks and 52 deaths in 2024, and the most since the index began. This was largely focused along the country’s borders with Burkina Faso.

Mrs. Ochieng agrees to this evaluation, saying that “the expansion of militant groups within the region in countries such as Benin or Togo or other coastal West African countries seems imminent.”