Article Author:
Associated Press
Edith M. Lederer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The threat from the Islamic State extremist group in Africa grows by the day, and the continent “African security experts warned the UN Security Council on Tuesday. At least 20 countries have directly experienced the activities of extremist groups, and more than 20 others have been "used for logistics, mobilization of funds, etc." means.
Ewi, who coordinates transnational organized crime projects at the Security Research Institute in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, said, "These regions are now becoming regional hubs." It has become a corridor of instability in Africa.” Previously, he was in charge of the counter-terrorism program of the African Union Commission.
He said the Lake Chad Basin, which borders Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon, was the militant group's largest operating area, the Sahel region was now "unmanageable", and Somalia was still under IS control. said it was a "hot spot" in Horn of Africa.
Although recent attempts to take over or destabilize Uganda have failed, Ewi said the IS-affiliated coalition "remains a serious threat". In addition, the Islamic State of Central Africa has turned several areas of Congo and Mozambique into "human slaughterhouses."
Islamic State, also known as Daesh in Arabic acronym he overran large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014, leaving only half of his territory under control. established the so-called Islamic Caliphate spanning 1. It has been brutalizing the population over the years. The group was formally declared defeated in Iraq in 2017 after three years of bloody fighting that left tens of thousands dead and cities devastated, but its sleeper cells have remained in various parts of the two countries. It continues to launch attacks. Speaking at a meeting of the Security Council on the latest report of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Campaign to overthrow IS.
Terrorism has been pushed south to Africa, he said. He has fled Syria and is finding safe haven on the continent.
Ewi also pointed to several other factors that made Daesh "very successful in Africa." It is the existence of natural resources, the poverty and the lack of political will to deal with the Palestinians that allow groups like Daesh to raise funds. A problem that is the main cause of the "radicalization" of many African youth and Daesh's ability to cooperate with other terrorists and criminal groups on the continent.
He also cited the lack of new initiatives in Africa to combat terrorism and the "ostrich approach" of many countries ignoring early warnings of the threat of terrorism.
"When the threat gets out of hand, the international community is called upon to help," Ewi said. “We see this phenomenon occurring in Benin and Togo, coastal African states that have experienced barrage of Daesh and other terrorist groups.”
He added that the same phenomenon had been seen in Mozambique, where terrorism had previously broken out, as well as in Nigeria, Cameroon and many other countries where "threats were misdiagnosed and responded inadequately."
To defeat his Daesh in Africa, "strategies go beyond groups and include alliances with al Qaeda and other criminal groups, including bandits, herders, gangs and various organized crime groups." We need to," said Ewi.
He urged the Security Council to mobilize equipment and resources to support the many ongoing peace support operations in various regions, and to mobilize groups and individuals. He urged that sanctions be enforced.
The UN's counter-terrorism chief, Vladimir Voronkov, told the Security Council in early 2020 that the threat from IS has increased since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I warned you.
Voronkov spoke of the border with Iraq. Syria "remains highly vulnerable with up to 10,000 IS fighters estimated to be operating in the region."
"From there, the group announced in April that We have launched a global campaign to step up our operations to avenge senior leaders killed in counterterrorism operations," he said.
