Previously distinct conflicts in the Sahel and coastal West Africa are merging into a single, interconnected one that will likely become a key arena of militant competition.
ISCAP’s collaboration with allies deepened in the DRC, Ethiopia launched its first airstrike against the Tigray Defence Forces since the Pretoria agreement, and violence surged in the Tombouctou region of Mali.
The RSF attacked civilians in Sudan after taking over El Fasher and Bara, unrest erupted in Cameroon over President Biya’s re-election, and al-Shabaab struck a prison in the Somali capital.
The first in a series on militarized self-defense and vigilantism, this report examines the structure, operations, evolution, and impact of Dozo self-defense groups in central Mali.
What began as an outbreak of violence in Mali in 2012 turned into a regional conflict that has spanned more than a decade. The central Sahelian states of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are at the center of a regional jihadist insurgency that has resulted in insecurity and instability in the region driven by a diverse range of armed groups. Successive military interventions, including initiatives such as the French Operation Serval, which evolved into the counter-terrorism mission Operation Barkhane, as well as the United Nations peacekeeping mission MINUSMA and the G5 Sahel Force, have failed to achieve lasting stability. The central Sahelian countries consistently rank high on ACLED’s Conflict Index due to high levels of violence across the region.
The transnational conflict in the Sahel has been driven by an array of armed actors cooperating, competing, and operating independently of one another. Groups including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda’s branch in the Sahel, and the Islamic State Sahel Province (IS Sahel) are also prominent in the regional jihadist insurgency. While violence involving insurgent groups and militants are a driving factor for regional insecurity, the situation is further complicated by the proliferation of armed groups, including various communal, ethnic, and self-defense militias like the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP); state forces; and other actors like mercenaries from the Wagner Group.
A detachment of Operation Almahaou anti-jihadist special forces patrol the Tillaberi region of western Niger on 6 November 2021. Photo by Boureima Hama/AFP via Getty Images
The report examines IS Sahel's shift from mass violence toward territorial control and its future trajectory.
Detailed exploration of Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) in Burkina Faso.
A detailed profile of JNIM, their operations, economic warfare, and influence in the Sahel.
Detailed analysis of the Islamic State’s Sahel Province and its operations.
For media queries and interview requests, reach out to our expert.
Previously distinct conflicts in the Sahel and coastal West Africa are merging into a single, interconnected one that will likely become a key arena of militant competition.
ISCAP’s collaboration with allies deepened in the DRC, Ethiopia launched its first airstrike against the Tigray Defence Forces since the Pretoria agreement, and violence surged in the Tombouctou region of Mali.
The first in a series on militarized self-defense and vigilantism, this report examines the structure, operations, evolution, and impact of Dozo self-defense groups in central Mali.
Premier volet d’une série consacrée aux formes militarisées d’autodéfense et de justice populaire, ce rapport analyse la structure, les opérations, l’évolution et l’impact des groupes d’autodéfense dozos dans le centre du Mali.
Watch the recorded webinar examining the latest data behind the jihadist movements in Benin, Niger, and Nigeria and their impacts on the exposed population.
This report discusses jihadist expansion in the Benin-Niger-Nigeria borderlands, focusing on ISSP and JNIM strategies and impacts.
The report examines IS Sahel's shift from mass violence toward territorial control and its future trajectory.
Reported fatalities from civilian targeting during the first half of 2024 increased in the Sahel region.
An overview of increasing violence and insurgency in the Sahel region, with a focus on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
A detailed profile of JNIM, their operations, economic warfare, and influence in the Sahel.
