A senior US military leader issued a grave warning on Thursday about the growing threat of African terror networks, saying the risk of attacks reaching American shores is increasing as extremist groups expand and evolve across the continent.General Michael Langley, head of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), called the Sahel region the new “epicentre of terrorism on the globe,” citing explosive growth in the size and reach of jihadist groups operating there.“The Sahel is now the flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability,” Langley told reporters. “We’re keeping a good eye on this because they could have the capacity to attack the homeland.”Terrorist expansion across West AfricaLangley highlighted two Al-Qaeda-linked organisations that have rapidly multiplied in strength and geographic reach over the past three years.Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is now three times larger than it was in 2022, with operations spanning Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), another Al-Qaeda affiliate, has grown fourfold, with most of its expansion in Burkina Faso.These groups, Langley said, are actively seeking access to West Africa’s coastline, a strategic move that could enable them to broaden revenue streams through smuggling, arms trafficking, and human trafficking, while also enhancing their operational reach.“If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores,” he said.US response and global competitionIn response to the intensifying threat, US has ramped up its counterterrorism operations. Over the weekend, American forces conducted an airstrike in Somalia against al-Shabab, another Al-Qaeda-linked group that, along with Isis, has plagued the East African nation for decades.Langley emphasised that combating terrorism in Africa is not only a matter of security but also of geopolitical strategy, as both China and Russia move aggressively to establish military partnerships and influence across the continent.“There is increasing concern about the number of African soldiers going to Beijing for military training,” Langley said. “They’re trying to replicate what we do best in our [US International Military Education and Training] program.”He warned that Chinese and Russian efforts to build security alliances in Africa may undermine US influence and allow adversaries to gain a stronger foothold in a region already destabilised by extremism.A race against timeLangley’s remarks come amid heightened urgency to stabilise regions like the Sahel, where years of violence, coups, and insurgency have weakened governments and created fertile ground for terror recruitment.The US military withdrew from Niger last year, one of several setbacks that have complicated efforts to contain terrorist groups. As AFRICOM works to re-establish partnerships and monitor terror hotspots, Langley stressed that the fight to contain extremist threats in Africa is directly tied to the security of the United States.“This isn’t just Africa’s problem,” he said. “It’s a global one — and we have to act now before these groups gain the power to strike far beyond the borders of the continent.”
