Latest Articles about Africa
Senegal Boosts Security Measures to Combat AQIM Threat
A series of large-scale attacks by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) over the last few years, targeting mainly tourists in West African countries with a French or international presence, has raised the question of when and where the next AQIM attack will take place.... MORE
The New Face of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood? A Post-Mortem Analysis of Hassm Leader Mohamed Ashour Dashisha
A new strand of Islamist jihadism— one more in line with the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology than Salafism—has been taking shape in the context of Egypt’s ongoing Islamist insurgency. This developing strand is the byproduct of the violent aftermath of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s ouster from... MORE
Italy in Wait-and-See Mode Over Russia’s Maneuvering in Libya
Russia’s increased engagement in the Libyan civil war, in particular the “attention” that the Kremlin is paying to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, one of the conflict’s major actors since the ousting of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, has not gone unnoticed by the Italian government (Repubblica,... MORE
Anarchy in Azawad: A Guide to Non-State Armed Groups in Northern Mali
Achieving peace in northern Mali (known locally as Azawad) is complicated by the proliferation of armed groups in the region, each varying in purpose, ideology and ethnic composition. Personal and clan rivalries make cooperation exceedingly difficult even when political agendas match. MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional... MORE
Briefs
France: What Lies in Store for Returning Militants? French authorities have detained one of the county’s most high-profile Islamists who, after reportedly growing disillusioned with Islamic State (IS), left Syria, turning himself over to Turkish authorities. Kevin Guiavarch was placed on the United Nations’ sanctions... MORE
[Hot Issue] Fears of a New Arab Spring: The Algerian Riots in Context
On January 14, Tunisians marked the sixth anniversary of their successful revolution against the regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Known as the “Jasmine Revolution,” it inspired other people in the region to take to the streets, starting the so-called “Arab Spring.” Six years... MORE
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