Dina Mahmoud (London)
Amid American pledges to provide additional funding estimated at $45 million to help achieve stability in the “Sahel” region, warnings are increasing of the possibility of expanding the scope of attacks and aggressions that are plaguing this region located in the west of the African continent, extending to countries that have, until now, enjoyed a state of Of relative stability.
These fears are particularly heightened in countries such as Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Côte d'Ivoire, especially since these countries and others constitute a gateway to the continent on the western side of the world, and there are important ports on their lands, used by Western shipping companies and shipping lines, which makes them attract many foreign investments.
Recently, the border areas separating a number of these countries, including Ghana, Togo, and Burkina Faso, witnessed bloody attacks, which claimed the lives of a number of civilians.
Although some of these attacks were not attributed to any terrorist group, counter-terrorism experts in the region believe that they are likely linked to extremist groups that have been active for years on the African Coast.
These attacks, which included an attack on a commercial convoy that was on its way from the Ghanaian town of Bawko to another region, coincided with sporadic attacks taking place in border cities in northern Benin, against police stations and civilians, in addition to the ongoing unrest in Niger and Mali, against the backdrop of the unstable political situation. settled there.
Analysts pointed out that among the reasons for the fragility of the situation in the “African Sahel” is the growing gap between the North and South regions in most parts of the western countries of the continent, as those residing in the southern regions enjoy a greater degree of education and services, compared to their peers in the remote parts located. in the north.
Terrorist and extremist organizations, as well as criminal gangs, exploit this glaring disparity to recruit more young men into their ranks.
#Warnings #expansion #terrorism #West #Africa
