ARAC StratCom GSOC Updates 7/6/2023

Global Security Updates: ARAC International 

Nigeria Grapples with Continuing Violence

The death toll mounts in Nigeria as conflict continues to plague the region. According to reports from AFP News, a rocket-propelled grenade fired by suspected jihadists took five lives and injured 11 others in Damboa, a town in northeast Nigeria's Borno state. The attempted invasion on Friday was halted by the local anti-jihadist militia, a paramilitary group operating in unison with the armed forces.

Nigeria's 14-year jihadist conflict in the northeast has tragically claimed around 40,000 lives and forced over two million people from their homes since 2009. Boko Haram, the radical Islamist group behind much of the violence, has been responsible for the deaths of approximately 5,873 Nigerians between December 2020 and May 2023, as reported by SBM Intelligence. Despite ongoing military efforts, the conflict is far from resolved.

Somalia Faces Challenges from Al-Shabaab

In Somalia, the Al-Shabaab militants launched an assault on a recently relinquished Forward Operating Base (FOB), indicating potential setbacks in the mission of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Last week, the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) handed control of the base to the Somali National Army (SNA). The ensuing gunfight forced the militants to retreat, but this attack highlights the ongoing instability.

In another operation, the Somali Intelligence forces retaliated against Al-Shabaab's rising raids, seizing weapons and eliminating a militant in the Lower Shabelle region. However, the conflict continues, marked by notable attacks, including an Al-Shabaab assault on a base housing African Union peacekeepers that resulted in the deaths of 54 Ugandan soldiers.

Tensions and Violence in Other Parts of Africa

In East Africa, Kenya has postponed the reopening of its border with Somalia due to a surge of attacks attributed to Al-Shabaab militants. The border was scheduled to reopen after a decade-long closure, following a bilateral agreement made in May. However, the resurgent violence has altered the course of action.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso is at the center of growing unrest. Its military government has suspended French news channel La Chaine Info (LCI) for an alleged lack of objectivity and credibility in their reporting on the armed groups' activities in the region. The move marks an escalating crackdown on French media amidst deteriorating relations between Burkina Faso and its former colonizer.

Furthermore, Burkina Faso also suffered a deadly attack in the eastern province of Gnagna, where suspected extremists killed around 15 civilians. The act of terror has triggered a massive displacement of people fearing further violence. Burkina Faso, already grappling with poverty, has been under increasing pressure from an extremist insurgency that originated from Mali in 2015. Over 10,000 people have been killed as a result of this crisis.