Radical Islam in the Sahel

Radical Islam in the Sahel

Origins, Trajectories, and the Failure of Counter Terrorism

von Hussein Solomon

This book argues that these failures stem from a persistent neglect of the region’s complex historical, political, and socio-economic realities. Terrorism in the Sahel has deep historical roots, yet many analyses overlook this long continuum and treat the violence as a recent development. Such ahistorical approaches have contributed to repeated policy failures. Regional and international counter‑terrorism initiatives—from ECOWAS and the African Union to long-standing U.S. training programs and Russia’s newer military engagements—have achieved little in reversing the militants’ expansion. Heavy-handed operations, particularly by Russian forces, have further alienated local populations.

National security strategies cannot succeed within a transnational conflict system that spans the Sahel’s vast, porous landscapes. International interventions have often reinforced authoritarian regimes while ignoring the structural drivers of radicalization and the infiltration of state institutions by militant actors.

Drawing on historical analysis and contemporary field dynamics, this book traces the emergence of key Islamist movements, examines the socio-economic factors sustaining them, and provides a detailed profile of the major groups operating across the Sahel. It also evaluates the effectiveness of regional and global counter-terrorism actors. The concluding recommendations outline practical measures to reduce the influence of Salafist jihadism and promote genuine long-term stability in the region.

This book argues that these failures stem from a persistent neglect of the region’s complex historical, political, and socio-economic realities. Terrorism in the Sahel has deep historical roots, yet many analyses overlook this long continuum and treat the violence as a recent development. Such ahistorical approaches have contributed to repeated policy failures. Regional and international counter‑terrorism initiatives—from ECOWAS and the African Union to long-standing U.S. training programs and Russia’s newer military engagements—have achieved little in reversing the militants’ expansion. Heavy-handed operations, particularly by Russian forces, have further alienated local populations.

National security strategies cannot succeed within a transnational conflict system that spans the Sahel’s vast, porous landscapes. International interventions have often reinforced authoritarian regimes while ignoring the structural drivers of radicalization and the infiltration of state institutions by militant actors.

Drawing on historical analysis and contemporary field dynamics, this book traces the emergence of key Islamist movements, examines the socio-economic factors sustaining them, and provides a detailed profile of the major groups operating across the Sahel. It also evaluates the effectiveness of regional and global counter-terrorism actors. The concluding recommendations outline practical measures to reduce the influence of Salafist jihadism and promote genuine long-term stability in the region.

Highlights

• Offers detailed accounts of major terrorist groups operating in the Sahel region Sheds new light on a failed counter-terrorism initiative in the Sahel Provides key policy recommendations on how to defeat Islamist terrorism in the Sahel

Über den Autor

Hussein Solomon is a senior professor at the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State, South Africa, and a senior research fellow at the Israel–Africa Relations Institute in Tel Aviv. He has authored more than 300 publications, including books and peer‑reviewed articles, and specializes in Islamism, political violence, and terrorism across Africa.

Jude Cocodia is a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Niger Delta University, Nigeria, and a research fellow in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State, South Africa. His research focuses on human security, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on these themes.