Latest Articles about Africa
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
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