Terrorist violence continues to pose a serious threat to stability and security across West Africa, with the Sahel region remaining the epicentre of global terrorism-related deaths.
In recent years, terrorist groups, particularly those affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida, have increasingly relied on asymmetric tactics, notably Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and the weaponization of commercial drones. These tactics, combined with the cross-border mobility of terrorist networks, fighters and operational resources, have significantly increased the lethality and reach of attacks targeting security forces, civilians and critical infrastructure. This evolving threat environment has undermined stabilization efforts in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, as well as along the northern borders of coastal West African countries.
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Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
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