Latest Articles about Africa
Briefs
Egypt: An Intensifying Problem With Islamist Militancy A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Cairo church close to the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in December, killing at least 25 people, wounding scores more and putting Egypt’s Coptic community on edge heading into their Christmas celebrations... MORE
How al-Qaeda Will Benefit From Islamic State’s ‘Greater Sahara Province’
Under increasing pressure in Syria and Iraq, as well as in Libya, Islamic State (IS) is activating and reorganizing its networks elsewhere, observably in Europe and Turkey, and, less conspicuously, in West Africa. On October 30, 2016, IS confirmed via its Amaq news agency that... MORE
Radical Loyalty and the Libyan Crisis: A Profile of Salafist Shaykh Rabi’ bin Hadi al-Madkhali
Advocating loyalty to the regime may seem a rather uncontroversial and unprovocative stance in most instances. However, one influential Saudi shaykh, Rabi’ bin Hadi al-Madkhali, has taken this position to such extremes that many of his fellow Salafists regard him as a radical dangerously out... MORE
Briefs
MOROCCO: SECURITY SERVICES MAKE GAINS AS TERROR THREAT GROWS Moroccan investigators arrested an alleged jihadist with links to al-Qaeda in the city of Azrou in November. The man, a computer engineer, had disseminated jihadist propaganda and was suspected of involvement in online banking fraud that... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s New Blood in North Africa: An In-Depth Look at Hisham Ashamwy
Egypt has been one of the least studied and covered theaters of jihad that have emerged in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprisings. The comparatively low death toll and resilience of the central state understandably make it less of a priority for both policymakers... MORE
The Fox of Kidal: A Portrait of Mali’s Tuareg General, al-Hajj ag Gamou
In Mali he is known as “Le Renard de Kidal,” the fox of Mali’s north-eastern Kidal region, the desert home of some of Mali’s most committed rebels. The “Fox” however is General al-Hajj ag Gamou, loyal to the Bamako government and the first and only... MORE
China’s Contribution to Peacekeeping Operations: Understanding the Numbers
China’s participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) has received considerable media attention for the past several years as Beijing’s international profile has expanded. To be sure, of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), China contributes the largest number of military and... MORE
Briefs
SOMALIA: PRO-IS FIGHTERS EXPLOIT CLAN LOYALTIES Islamic State-linked (IS) militants took over the port town of Qandala in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region early on October 26, apparently facing little resistance (Shabelle News, October 26). Qandala is a strategic target, a hub for smuggled weapons brought... MORE
Algeria’s Role in Libya: Seeking Influence Without Interference
Faced with a range of potential threats, Algeria is one of the countries most concerned with developments in Libya. Close adherence to a doctrine of non-interference has limited Algeria’s role in its neighbor’s affairs. However, when Fayez al-Sarraj, the president of Libya’s Government of National... MORE
Kenya Struggles to Combat Al-Shabaab’s Cross-Border Attacks
Al-Shabaab has increased attacks in areas near the Kenyan border in recent months, as local and international military action pushes the al-Qaeda affiliated group out of its hideouts in southern Somalia. Analysts believe the militants now have bases in the north and northeastern regions of... MORE