Sahel Edition

Sahel: Niger-French troops arrest two alleged IS fightersF

Posted On 10 July 2023

Number of times this article was read : 1973

Two leading jihadists from the Islamic State’s Sahel affiliate have been arrested in a joint operation by Niger and French forces, a senior security source said Monday. The two members of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) were captured in western Niger on separate days last week after being “very actively sought”, the source said. The two were detained in Tillaberi region near the border with jihadist-hit Burkina Faso.

The source named the two as Abu Maryam also known as Zaid, and Sita Ousseini, alias Loukoumane, who is described in search notices as a native of Niger. They were part of a group of jihadists sought by Burkina Faso for participation or complicity in planning or carrying out “terrorist acts.” Burkina had offered a reward equivalent to nearly $250,000 for Zaid and more than $291,000 for Loukoumane.

Niger and French soldiers have been conducting joint operations in western Niger for several months, mainly in a border area touching Niger, Burkina and Mali, according to Nigerien military officials. Niger has accepted 1,500 French soldiers on its soil to bolster its armed forces. The country, which is one of the world’s poorest, is battling Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) jihadists in the east, and
Al-Qaeda and ISGS in the west.

AFP

More on the Sahel

Sudan’s Army Gains Ground in Kordofan as War Strains Power and Food Systems✓

Sudan’s army is gaining ground in North Kordofan, securing key transport routes that could support a broader push west toward Darfur. But battlefield advances are unfolding alongside a deepening national crisis, with power grid failures, disrupted agriculture and local conflicts compounding the country’s instability. But this latest military momentum is unlikely to resolve Sudan’s widening humanitarian and infrastructure challenges.

Sahel: Niger Emerges as Key Battleground as JNIM and Islamic State Collide$

A defection, a blood feud, and overlapping territorial ambitions are pushing JNIM and the Islamic State Sahel Province into direct competition across western Niger. The outcome around the region of Dosso could determine whether Sahelian jihadist violence stays fragmented — or consolidates into a wider regional arc.

The Nigeria Precedent: Why Degrading One Group Won’t Secure Mali$

The Nigeria Precedent: Why Degrading One Group Won’t Secure Mali$

Seven months into an air campaign against ISWAP and Boko Haram, Nigeria’s broader insecurity crisis remains largely untouched. As Washington weighs a similar strike option against JNIM in Mali, the Nigeria case raises hard questions about what airpower can actually buy.