Who are These “Jihadists” Who Are Defeating the French Army in the Sahel?

by Rémi Carayol The French army takes pride in regularly announcing “victories” in the Sahel, where it has been operating for five years under the name “Operation Barkhane.” These may be the destruction of munitions dumps, motor vehicles or camps… Continue Reading

Burkina Faso: Islamic State and al-Qaeda’s New Sanctuary

by Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner For many years, violent extremists have exploited the impoverished and lawless Sahel region of Africa. Salafist-jihadist militias have frequently transited through the region’s porous borders, easily taking advantage of local grievances to establish a… Continue Reading

Burkina Faso’s Alarming Escalation of Jihadist Violence

by Rinaldo Depagne Attacks on the Burkina Faso army headquarters and the French Embassy on 2 March 2018 were better organized, involved heavier weapons and were more sustained than anything seen so far in Burkina Faso. In this Q&A, our West Africa… Continue Reading

Can the Pentagon Win When Putsch Comes to Shove?

by Nick Turse Winning! It’s the White House watchword when it comes to the U.S. armed forces. “We will give our military the tools you need to prevent war and, if required, to fight war and only do one thing… Continue Reading