Latest Articles about Africa
Terrorism and Violence in the Sudan: The Islamist Manipulation of Darfur
The following article is the first in a two part series on Islamism and Terrorism in Darfur. The United States has made some strange alliances in the War on Terrorism, but none odder than its growing relationship with the ruling Islamists of Sudan. Once eager... MORE
Algerian GSPC Launch Attack in Mauritania
A cross border raid carried out on June 4 against a military post by at least 150 members of the Algerian Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat (GSPC) on Mauritanian territory left 15 Mauritanian soldiers dead, with 17 wounded. The night-time raid at... MORE
New al-Qaeda Outfit Announces its Presence in Algeria
Militant Islamist forums have circulated a statement dated May 8 purporting to announce the formation of a new al-Qaeda cell in Algeria. The group, Qa'idat al-Jihad fi al-Jaza'ir (al-Qaeda [base] of the Jihad in Algeria), has modeled its name on the group led by Abu... MORE
The Islamist Movement in Morocco
Prior to the Casablanca attacks of May 2003, Morocco appeared to be relatively immune to the type of home grown Islamic militancy experienced by other North African countries. The Moroccan monarchy, which claims direct descent from the prophet, appeared to have successfully contained its political... MORE
Spain’s 9/11: The Moroccan Connection
Following the March 11 attacks in Madrid, the nature of the Islamist threat to Spain has become a sensitive matter for all Spaniards, including Spain's Muslims. As evidence emerges indicating that foreign terrorists linked to al-Qaeda committed the attacks, many within Spain's North African community... MORE
A New Journal for Algerian Jihad
At a period of uncertainty and fragmentation for the Salafist movement in Algeria, a new publication has made its appearance on the internet. In May, the first issue of Al-Jama'a (The Group) was posted on the website of the Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et... MORE
Jihadist Overtones in Sudan
The controversy over the proper terminology to describe the events in Darfur (a conflict in which, according to UN estimates, up to 50,000 people have been killed and over million displaced) not withstanding, at least one segment of Sudanese society has given it a name... MORE
Libya Arrests al-Qaeda Suspects
Libya this week arrested 17 members of a group it believes is linked to the al-Qaeda network, who were attempting an illegal entry into the country. Libyan Public Order Minister Nasser al-Mabruk remained non-committal on the nature of the links but gave their identity as... MORE
Disarray in the Algerian GSPC
Under the barrage of daily news reports detailing armed attacks by militants, it might appear over-optimistic to sound the last post for an Islamist insurgency that has since 1992 accounted for 150,000 deaths in Algeria. The extremist Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) had... MORE
Will Zimbabwe Become Al-Qaeda’s Newest Hub?
The role played by failed states in harboring militant Islamist groups is a feature of the war on terror that is likely to receive a great deal of attention in the coming years. Africa has been singled out as particularly vulnerable in this regard, not... MORE