Makan Fofana/DW

Al-Qaeda-linked groups have long had a foothold in Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger

Many African countries have beefed up border security after a surge in terror attacks along the west coast. According to analysts, terrorists are based in landlocked Sahel states.

The Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace lists Africa’s Sahel region as a terrorist hotspot. It is estimated that 51% of global terror-related deaths are recorded in the Sahel, where two al-Qaeda-related jihadi groups are expanding. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and the so-called Islamic State groups are behind the wave of terror in the Sahel, especially in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

Militants have been able to infiltrate coastal territories due to weak cross-border intelligence and mistrust between Sahel states and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).Military deployments and bilateral security agreements have been implemented, but experts stress that sustainable responses must combine security with socioeconomic initiatives to address poverty, youth disenfranchisement, and strengthen regional cooperation to prevent terrorist attacks from spreading.