Recent months have seen an alarming increase in terrorist activity and takeovers by burgeoning extremist groups in Africa, placing newly-formed regional powers in jeopardy. Among the most recent casualties – in a conflict that has cost thousands of civilian lives and displaced an estimated 1.75 million refugees – is a historical bulwark of the United States in the region, a stable and reliable ally. Now, Al Qaeda may be closing in on its final conquest.
Overview of the Situation in Africa
Africa is facing a growing wave of extremist violence and militant attacks, many of them organized and executed by militant branches of terrorist group Al Qaeda. Indeed, this new “Al Qaeda in Africa” has become one of the region’s defining armed factions. In the past year alone, the group has seized control of vast tracts of land, launched large-scale attacks on cities and towns, and established lucrative terror networks reaching from the Maghreb to Central Africa.
These activities are destabilizing a region that has historically been a stalwart ally of the United States. The U.S. has been dedicated to helping preserve Africa’s democracy and security, having previously led interventions that successfully routed terror campaign by African militant groups including Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab. Now, however, the U.S. may soon be facing a new, far more powerful and sophisticated threat.
Al Qaeda Closes In on a Stalwart U.S. Ally
The United States has long offered support to one particularly powerful African ally, which has allowed it to remain a bastion of democracy and stability in the face of encroaching terror forces. It is an ally that, like the U.S., is committed to freedom, democracy, and human rights; an ally whose security forces have for decades fought tireless battles against extremism.
However, that is all at risk of changing, as Al Qaeda is now on the brink of taking over this stronghold of democracy. The organization’s militants have overrun several nearby towns and villages, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction; they have besieged major cities and closed the country’s borders; and they have orchestrated a series of ruthless attacks to take control of key military bases. Al Qaeda is now within striking distance of the nation’s capital, and it is likely only a matter of time before its brute force conquers this longtime U.S. ally.
The United States’ Response
In response to the legitimate threat faced by its ally, the United States has stepped up its efforts to contain and contain the Al Qaeda militants before their aggressive advance fully consumes the nation. In recent weeks, the U.S. military has launched an unprecedented intervention, deploying thousands of troops to the region and establishing a coalition of forces from the United States and other regional allies. American leaders are also providing logistical support to the African nation, supplying intelligence and combat assistance to its beleaguered forces.
The U.S. Air Force has conducted several bombing runs in strategic locations to dislodge the militants and disrupt their communications networks. The U.S. has also committed vast resources to financially bolster African forces, including training and equipping their personnel and supplying specialized military equipment to bolster the country’s defenses. There is also an effort underway to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in the region, both to help the country’s citizens survive and to attempt to reduce their vulnerability to extremist recruitment.
The Challenge of Al Qaeda’s Expansion
The United States and its African ally face a daunting challenge in battling the relentless surge of Al Qaeda’s campaign of gathering wealth and power. Al Qaeda has come to rely on money from smuggling, kidnapping, and extortion to fund its global operations. Its militants have infiltrated the political and security systems of countries in Africa, looking to seize and control valuable territory, resources, and the loyalty of local populations.
Al Qaeda’s sophisticated global networks, resources, and base of financial supporters make it a formidable foe. Its expanding activity in Africa, as well as its success in taking over populations and cities in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, have created an alarming new pathway for Al Qaeda to expand its hub of operations and global extremist ideology.
The Importance of Counterterrorism Efforts
The United States and its African ally now find themselves in a role they never wished to take, but a role they must take nevertheless. Developing a strategic response to Al Qaeda’s aggression is of the utmost importance, as failure to effectively constrain the terrorists’ reach and preventive them from taking root in the African nation could have disastrous consequences.
The U.S. is therefore intensifying its counterterrorism efforts in the region. Proposals for stronger regulations and laws have been put forward, and the United States has urged African partners to take more robust measures to combat the region’s militant groups. International organizations and foreign allies are being enlisted to join the mission to neutralize Al Qaeda’s burgeoning power. In this effort, the U.S. and its African ally must remain vigilant.
Africa is in the grips of a grave security and humanitarian crisis, with the specter of Al Qaeda closing in on a stalwart U.S. ally and longtime democratic model in the region. As the militants seize more and more land and resources, and as they tighten their grip on vulnerable populations, the threat of their growing presence hangs heavy over the U.S.’s African partner.
The U.S. and its African ally must take decisive action to defend their hard-won stability and democracy against Al Qaeda’s relentless campaign. If not, the consequences of Al Qaeda’s unchecked growth could be dire indeed.
