By Pramod Raj Sedhain.
African local Islamist militant groups have posed threat to the country following the path of Afghanistan conflict. This, definitely, is an alarming scenario to the Western world. In the last half decade, some of these groups continued ties with international jihadis and Western African Jihadis, which can be dubbed as dangerous. The kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls and women from a school in northeast Chibok on April 15 by Boko Haram has drawn the world’s attention. Following this incident, for the first time, West African countries – Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin together declared war on Boko Haram and agreed to share intelligence, coordinated action, border monitor, coordinated patrols and rescue operations thus putting in place a mechanism to prevent weapons’ smuggling. Western countries have already put a new strong priority and focus in the African Region.
Western super power seems to empower local African and regional forces to find solutions to the African crisis. However, lack of moral, financial and technical power has obstructed the African force to perform better. Moreover, the significant presence of western forces in the continent has been unpredictable. French President Francois Hollande has dubbed the Boko Haram as an al-Qaida-linked group. After Paris meeting with West African leaders, President Hollande told a news conference, “The message we want to send is that we know the threat. It is serious…serious for the region, for Africa and so for Europe.
We have deployed our military and intelligence system to find these young girls.” Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer has faced continued unprecedented violation since 2009. Demand of imposing Islamic law and campaigning of Boko Haram (literary meaning western education is a sin in the Hausa language) founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 is now a threat to the entire western African nation. Boko Haram has been expanding its safe haven in western African countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. Its growing influence is a threat to further destabilizing the region and growing terrorist attacks.
Terrorism and extremism is rising rapidly in the entire African region. Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan) to the West and North Africa has become the hotspot of extremist groups. Several terrorist groups have carried out killings, bombings, kidnappings and attacks on civilian and military targets. Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist groups have strengthened their positions and continue to overtake local insurgents. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) operates in several Sahel countries including Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger. Al-Qaeda-linked groups in North Africa, Ansar al-Sharia and AQIM also operate in Algeria, Tunisa and Morocco. A Somali-based group is already associated with al-Qaida and continues to carry out attacks not only in Somalia but neighboring countries like Kenya and Uganda.
Last year, al-Shabaab carried out a deadly attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya and demanded Kenya withdrawal its defense forces from Somalia. After the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in Libya, the country has become a hub for extremist militants groups. Central African Republic (CAR) sectarian conflict continues despite the French and regional military presence. Fragmented politics, fragile security and power vacuums create a new extremist wave and they gain new grounds in the African region. Military planner of Paris to Washington is busy these days making strategy – how to tackle the uncomfortable situation and wide ranging regional threat? Western intelligence are already in battle with the anti terrorism groups at the African frontier. They have been tracing the African major terrorist organizations, leadership and strength. Currently, Africa has become a threat of counter-terrorism for major western countries. In should be noted that France and US have traditionally been rivals in Africa but now they have intensified joint efforts against terrorism in Africa. In February 2013, US deployed some 100 troops to Niger for intelligence-sharing and other assistance to the French troops in Mali. US troops started tracking and monitoring the militants’ activities through drone surveillance in the volatile borders.
France boosts military presence in Africa
Africa is France’s priority region. It has long maintained influence throughout the African Region and it has a special strategic, business, cultural and political ties. France has not only historical links with the African continent but still has a dominant role. French militarily intervened in January 2013 to prevent militants from taking over Mali. French intervention has also become necessary in the Central African Republic (CAR) following a takeover by mainly Muslim rebels. In December 2013, France sent its troops where ethnic clashes were escalating. More then 6,000 French troops are operating in the African continent, where at least 240,000 French nationals are registered as living in Africa. French companies have special resources, constriction, banking communication and other trade interest in the region.
However, currently, they have started to face complex challenges. France had earlier reduced the size of the military and bases between 1997 and 2002. France has however announced that it will deploy 3,000 more troops to combat extremist forces in parts of Africa. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, “This redeployment will cover about 3000 troops which we are about to reorganize and re-deploy all over the area”. He added, “I wanted to say all this to you because we think that the intervention in Mali is not enough.
We have to go beyond”. French Defense Minister indicated the scenario of post Gaddafi Libya – where power vacuum is now the shelter of various radical groups. “We have to protect ourselves against different risks, new risks and especially, tomorrow, against the risk of a Libyan chaos”. The Sahel from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east is key strategic geography for anti terrorism operation which spans 5,400 kilometers. The EU door step country, Africa has been witnessing instability and violence, which will have a direct impact on migration to security in the European territory.
US unpredicted military boost in Africa
US has a new strategic interest in Africa Region and surprisingly expanded its military presence in this region. US military has a major influence and dominance in the Sahel region. According to official information, AFRICOM began initial operations on October 1, 2007, and officially became an independent command on October 1, 2008. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) – one of the U.S. military’s six regional commands and the newest one expanded its presence in the African region. In 2013, it conducted joint exercises with fourteen African nations leading the operations of land, sea, and air. In 2013, U.S. military carried out a total of 546 activities on the continent and analyst estimated 217% increase in operations, programs, and exercises since the command was established in 2008. AFRICOM – the “3D” approach known as defense, diplomacy, and development,” describes as coordinating “low-cost, small-footprint operations” throughout the African continent.
According to http://www.defensenews.com/ figure there are 5,000 to 8,000 US military personnel on the ground in Africa. But AFRICOM official figure shows that the number is approximately 2,000 and about 1,500 work at the command’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. A 2013 investigation by Tom Dispatch analyzing revealed that the U.S. military was involved with at least 49 of the 54 nations on the African continent during 2012 and 2013 in activities that ranged from special operation raids to the training of proxy forces.
