Al Qaeda and ISIS fighters in the Sahel region of Africa has formed an unlikely alliance that has defied the principles of their operations in other parts of the world where they are mortal enemies. The cooperation has been observed by international troops stationed in the region as well as local troops who are gradually being overwhelmed by the jihadist crisis.
The continued working of the two groups has contributing to their occupancy of large swaths of the Sahel region and as such posing one of the greatest threat to West Africa’s security.
The alarming new collaboration in the Sahel between affiliates of Al Qaeda and ISIS is a result of ethnic ties in the region, which includes Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Contrary, in other parts of the world they have different objectives and a different point of view that tends to bring ISIS and Al Qaeda into conflict, here they’re able to overcome that and work for a common purpose.
While both group have different modes of operation, a seeming collaboration poses a huge threat seeing as there requires a more consolidated counterterrorism approach that tackles both threats before the groups amerces fighters especially from the vast rural regions in the Sahel countries. Many young men in the largely impoverished region feel isolated from the government and are drawn in by extremists’ promises of employment and purpose.
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