On Tuesday, Al-Azhar Observatory for Countering Extremism released a report indicating a slight decline in the index of terrorist operations in Africa during July, down by 5.5% compared to June of the same year.
During July, terrorist activities resulted in 254 deaths, 126 injuries, and two abductions in Africa. June witnessed 36 terrorist incidents leading to 295 deaths, 114 injuries, and the abduction of 70 individuals. According to statistics from the Al-Azhar Observatory, the East and Horn of Africa regions were at the forefront in terms of the number of operations and second in terms of casualties.
Somalia was the most affected in terms of operations, being attacked by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab with 12 incidents, including four assassination and suicide operations, all resulting in 44 deaths and 58 injuries. Kenya, which has been experiencing successive attacks, underwent three operations resulting in three deaths and 15 injuries. In Mozambique, the expansion of ISIS increasingly threatens energy projects; the terrorist group launched a singular attack resulting in 10 deaths without any injuries. The report pointed to the insufficiency of security forces, especially after the withdrawal of African forces from Somalia.
Al-Azhar Observatory, in its report, urged the countries of the African Sahel to develop more effective strategies to confront the increasing spread of violent terrorist organizations both domestically and across borders. It called for the allocation of resources to halt attacks that might target other countries in the future.
Moving to West Africa, the report observed an increase in activities of the “ISIS West Africa” and “Boko Haram” terrorist organizations. The region suffered six terrorist operations, accounting for 17.6% of the total number of terrorist operations, all concentrated in Nigeria. These operations resulted in 48 deaths, 11 injuries, and two abductions.
The Al-Azhar Observatory report attributed the decline in attacks in that region to the coalition of West African countries confronting terrorism by forming a joint military force to maintain peace and counter terrorism in the region’s countries.
