February opened with a flurry of activity for the U.S. Africa Command, commonly known as AFRICOM. Their mission was clear: address the escalating threat posed by extremist factions in Africa. The inaugural day of the month marked a significant move as AFRICOM executed airstrikes in Somalia’s remote Golis Mountains. Those strikes honed in on a local faction of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The operation culminated in the elimination of Ahmed Maeleninine—an ISIS recruiter of note, renowned for his pivotal role in channeling jihadists to the shores of the United States and Europe.
This military action was but the prelude to a series of similar operations aimed at ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s regional branch. Together, these maneuvers have unambiguously set Somalia at the core of U.S. strategic military focus, particularly under the current administration. When it comes to global U.S. military deployments, the prevalent narrative may seem to revolve around withdrawal, but Somalia is a conspicuous exception. This pivot surprised many, reminiscing the decision President Donald Trump made to withdraw 700 troops during his term. At face value, the shift implies a nuanced acknowledgement: the global battle against terrorism now finds its front line on the African continent.
Consider this staggering statistic reported by the African Union: the year 2024 witnessed over 3,400 terrorist attacks across Africa, resulting in more than 13,900 deaths. The implications of such precariousness are not confined by geography; rather, Somalia stands tragically as a testament to how regional instability reverberates globally. ISIS-Somalia epitomizes this evolution, having severed ties with al-Shabaab back in 2015 and since grown at a staggering rate—AFRICOM records last year alone marked a doubling in their ranks. Moreover, whispers persist that Abdul Qadir Mumin, the reputed new global leader of ISIS since 2023, narrowly eluded a U.S. strike. If indeed true, is it not profound how interwoven the destinies of Africa and global terrorism have become?
Extremist involvement on the continent transcends Somali borders. From the dense jungles surrounding the Great Lakes of Central Africa to the rugged terrains of Mozambique, terrorist groups, along with their financiers, are ever-present. Yet, nowhere are they more pronounced than in the Sahel, where an array of factions, including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, and Boko Haram among others, vie for supremacy, sometimes engaging each other in violent territorial skirmishes.
In these same years, political coups have overturned democratic frameworks in the Sahel, with some leaders pivoting towards Russian support in lieu of Western alliances. Nevertheless, this alignment comes with its limitations. One anecdote speaks volumes: in Mali’s capital, Bamako, al-Qaeda jihadists momentarily seized control of the airport, going as far as posing for gleeful selfies with the presidential jet.
As Russian mercenary ventures, like those in Mozambique where the Wagner Group faced staggering setbacks, highlight the volatile nature of such alliances, it compels us to ask—where might this leave Western diplomacy and counter-terrorism efforts?
Fast forward to the present and anticipate a sharp uptick in U.S. involvement in African counter-terrorism. We are witnessing a more assertive strategy, much reflected in the words of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. During a visit to AFRICOM’s base in Germany he noted, “Africa is very much the front lines of a fight from Islamists . . . We’re not going to allow them to maintain a foothold, especially to try to strike at America.”
With this in mind, one cannot ignore the resonance of the 2017 ambush in Niger, where an operation against the Islamic State resulted in tragic losses. This historical backdrop may very well inform current strategies while reminding us of the high stakes.
Global narratives might spotlight Eastern Europe or Middle Eastern conflicts, but Africa, with its deeply entrenched jihadist movements pursuing far-reaching goals, demands attention. As the United States contemplates this involvement, one question looms large: what path will it take on this critical front?
An increase in U.S. military operations in Somalia appears imminent, reiterating an indispensable truth: the war on terror will not just involve Africa; it will decisively unfold within its complex borders.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring.
