Introduction
Islamist extremism is on the rise in West Africa, with violent extremist attacks doubling every year since 2015.1 International terrorist organisations such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) are teaming up with local fighters and jihadist leaders to control large swathes of territory in this fragile region.
Many foreign-policy experts have noted in recent years that the epicentre of global terrorism is shifting from the Middle East to Africa, with West Africa and the Horn of Africa the most significant theatres 2 and the south-eastern corridor a rising threat.