While terrorism is a global phenomenon, africa seems to bear the greatest brunt of it, largely due to limited military resources and ongoing economic deprivation, which has lured many young people. Country report on terrorism indicated, africa experienced 978 attacks in 2011, an 11. Unprecedented terrorist violence in west africa, sahel. In addition to these individual costs, terrorism can destabilize governments, undermine civil society, jeopardize peace. Yet terrorism, its definition, causes, and methods of dealing with it, has rarely been dealt with in high school courses. Institute of peace convened a halfday workshop for specialists on terrorism, the horn of africa, and u. In africa, terrorism attacks have rendered immense consequences. Since the terrorist attacks of 11 september 2001, international support for more effective counter terrorism measures and responses has led to greater international cooperation in counter terrorist matters, and there is certainly evidence of a widespread hardening of. This study examines the role of globalization on terrorism in 51 african countries for the period 19962011. Media dependence on terrorist group sources is coupled with a dependence on governmental information in terrorist situations moeller, 2009.
Terrorism in africa the decision by the pentagon to create a separate africa command is the clearest indication that the us military and other branches of the us government view subsaharan africa as a growing islamic terrorist threat. The current study on terrorism in north africa and the sahel in 2016 represents the eighth report on the issue and is part of my broader, longstanding engagement on security concerns in africa and their global implications exemplified through academic experiences, seminars, conferences, publications, and testimonies in congress. Jan 08, 2020 the situation in africa s sahel region continues to be of serious concern and urgent action is needed, a highlevel united nations official told the security council on wednesday, attributing a rising number of attacks to terrorist armed groups. Al qaeda arabic for the base is an organization based in afghanistan that has a history of terrorist involvement. The physical targets for a terrorist attack may vary from state to state, from time to time. Globalisation and the spread of terrorism in northern and sub. Uganda underwent years of 4 see also david h shinn, fighting terrorism in east africa and the horn, september 2004 foreign service journal, 36 at. Terrorist safe havens africa southeast asia middle east and north africa south asia western hemisphere countering terrorism on the economic front multilateral efforts to counter terrorism longterm programs and initiatives designed to counter terrorist safe havens. Causes and consequences of terrorism in africa oxford. Westcentral africa, international center for terrorism studies at the potomac institute for.
This is the third update of a map the africa center for strategic studies initially released in april 2016. Locating the african political scene within the new global paradigm of the war on terror. Terrorism is, first and foremost, a method, and it is used in times of peace and conflict. Counter terrorism strategy in different regions around the globe, which includes past projects on southern and eastern africa as well as a recently completed assessment of north africa. Africa currently hosts several terrorist groups that are affiliated with or influenced by alqaeda. Nicolas cook, aids in africa, congressional research. Dealing with terrorism has become the centerpiece of u. Map of africas militant islamic groups africa center for. Selected literature on terrorism and political violenceconflict in.
The african union counter terrorism framework african union. Raise awareness of the impact of terrorism and counter terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights. Africa is also experiencing a rise in violent extremism ve another debated term that means approximately the political, ideological, social, and economic forces that support and sustain terrorism, including by justifying terrorist acts and glorifying terrorist actors. Throughout history, terrorism occurrences have been rampant throughout the world. Failed states and the spread of terrorism in subsaharan. There are highly diverse and complex terrorist groups that influence the local populations th. This chapter examines the causes and consequences of terrorism in africa, and considers the extent to which existing evidence rationalizes the various explanations for it, and its implications for counterterrorism policy in africa.
Terrorist activity primarily involves religious terrorism conducted by foreignbased organizations, although some activity occurs because of communal frustration over the lack of economic development. Uganda underwent years of 4 see also david h shinn, fighting terrorism in east africa and the horn, september 2004 foreign service journal, 36 at 37. Overview 50 major attacks between 2000 and 2009 300 attacks between 2010 and. Unlike the other two east african countries prior to the august 1998 bombings uganda had experienced acts of terrorism albeit on a domestic level. Amid unprecedented violence, escalation of terrorist attacks. Provide a practical tool for practitioners dealing with terrorism. In 1994, martha crenshaws edited volume terrorism in africa made clear how terrorism generally defined as a tactic that uses violence or the threat of violence as a coercive strategy to cause fear and political intimidation was a feature. Djibouti, somalia, eritrea, and sudana major source of terrorism.
Terrorism in the horn of africa the web site cannot be found. The goal of this effort is to stimulate enhanced and more effective regional. The african union counter terrorism framework african. History and root causes of terrorism in africa introduction the aim of this paper is fourfold. Terrorism and counterterrorism in africa fighting insurgency from. Terrorism has been linked to the theory of deprivation, but the extent to which terrorism is an economic good can be explained using a rational choice model of economic agents. Impact of terrorism on economic development in africa. This is attributable in large part to the more based frequent attacks of the nigeria terrorist group boko haram, which conducted 6 attacks in 2011 up from 31 in 2010. But an attack on a military unit would not be terrorism. A terrorist organization is an illicit clandestine organization that generally consists of plan ners, trainers, and actual bomberskillers.
Deals with the aftermath of terrorism or counter terrorism operation intended to build confidence and trust in ct agencies strengthens the role of the state and its responsibility to protect. This course is a graduatelevel introduction to the major terrorism groups that operate on the continent of africa. Terrorism overshadows internal conflicts africa renewal. Political violence in north africa brookings institution. Then there is a chapter on al qaeda including their aims and goals and their influence in northern africa and their spreading influence to the subsaharan region. The preconditions for terrorism to exist are explored in this worko begin with, t first this thesis defines terrorism and explores why people turn to terrorism. Pdf understanding the terrorist threat in africa and the limitations of the current counter terrorist paradigm.
The spectre of terrorism and nigerian development by. Accompanied with these two key negative trends was an. Terrorism as a manifestation of conflict could be a historically persistent phenomena with roots in the past. In 1992, the organization of african unity oau, meeting at its 28th ordinary session, held in dakar, senegal, adopted a resolution on the strengthening of cooperation and coordination among african states ahgres. Participants had the opportunity to discuss and share experiences with practitioners from the netherlands, spain and south africa in handling terrorist cases. Terrorism and counterterrorism in africa springerlink. Terrorism clearly has a very real and direct impact on human rights, with devastating consequences for the enjoyment of the right to life, liberty and physical integrity of victims. The unfortunate truth is that it is possible some parts of africa may never be at peace.
Terrorism is an anxietyinspiring method of repeated violent action. The closest thing that southern africa has to a strategy in the struggle against terrorist financing is the eastern and southern african antimoney laundering groups esaamlg nine recommendations on terrorist financing. Map of africas militant islamic groups africa center. The impact of the terrorism on the development in africa terrorism is the most serious threat to security and stability in west africa, especially the real impact on the development of the region. National strategies to prevent and counter violent. Taken together, they are the root causes for african terrorism. African countries have experienced relatively high levels of terrorism. Terrorism is also possibly motivated largely by existential otherworldly goals. The continuing violence and conflict in this area since 2010. The spectre of terrorism and nigerian development by imhonopi. It reflects events that occurred between april 2016 and march 2017. Pdf terrorism in west africa boko harams evolution. This is the proposition advanced in the foco theory of guerrilla warfare by che guevara and his followers after their.
Nov 23, 2015 continental efforts in preventing and combating terrorism have a long history. Apr 04, 2021 terrorism as a manifestation of conflict could be a historically persistent phenomena with roots in the past. Terrorism in burkina faso refers to nonstate actor violence in burkina faso that is carried out with the intent of causing fear and spreading extremist ideology. Failed states and the spread of terrorism in subsaharan africa. Globalisation and the spread of terrorism in northern and. For over a decade, the united states has considered the horn of africakenya, ethiopia. They operate across the vast expanse of the sahel in libya, tunisia, and algeria, as well as in. The continent of africa is not left on this vice and thus, there is a well reckon with terrorist activities around and within. Traditional counterterrorism approaches, with their emphasis on the military, are. The most prominent terrorist groups that are creating a terror impact in africa include boko haram of nigeria and alshabaab of somalia. In an effort to assist teachers in helping their students identify and understand terrorism, the united states institute of.
There are highly diverse and complex terrorist groups that influence the local populations that. Chapter 1country reports on terrorism africa east asia and the pacific europe the middle east and north africa south and central asia western hemisphere chapter 2state sponsors of terrorism chapter 3the global challenge of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear terrorism chapter 4 terrorist safe havens update to 7120 report. First, there has been a recent positive wave of terrorist attacks across africa due to. May 27, 2012 history of terrorism in west africa 24 2.
This is because north africa and the horn include states collectively known as the maghreb, which share historical, cultural, and religious ties with the middle east. West and central africa are particularly vulnerable to terrorism. National strategies to prevent and counter violent extremism. This element is further amplified in africa where the media have fewer resources.
This decision was driven in the main by the realisation that. Causes and consequences of terrorism in africa start. Terrorism is an anxietyinspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by semi clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby in contrast to assassination the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. At present, southern africa lacks a coordinated regime to combat shadowy and hardtotrack money flows. The second key negative trend is boko harams extension into neighbouring west african countries which has led to cameroon and niger rising to th and 16th in the gti. Then there is a chapter on al qaeda including their aims and goals and their influence in northern africa and their spreading influence to. Terrorism in 2015 by region figure 2 fatalities from terrorist attacks in africa 20002016 14 figure 3 distribution of interviews by country 23 figure 4 distribution of respondents by category and country of interview 23 figure 5 distribution of primary respondents by organization and country 24 figure 6 distribution of primary respondents. In countries like algeria and south africa under the obnoxious apartheid regime, liberation movements were labeled terrorist organisations by the regimes they sought to overthrow. They hailed the workshop as the first of its kind in the history of mozambique. Apr 26, 2017 the islamic states selfdeclared african provinces in algeria, tunisia, and libya have made only limited progress in rooting themselves in local communities. Consequently, north africa and the horn are far more integrated into the network of international extremist islamic terrorist activity than subsaharan africa. Beside the incidence of colonialism, the growing concerns on the threats posed by international terrorism since the 911 attack on world trade centre wtc have. Amid unprecedented violence, escalation of terrorist.
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