West Africa: Global Epicenter For Terrorism And Need For UN Military Intervention

BY INWALOMHE DONALD

West Africa is the current global epicenter for terrorism, with Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria heavily impacted by extremist violence. To rescue the region, regional blocs and the United Nations must prioritize coordinated military action, advanced intelligence sharing, and addressing the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty and weak governance. Saving West Africa from transnational terrorism requires a combination of targeted interventions and regional cooperation.

There is need for United Nations military intervention in West Africa which is driven by worsening extremist violence, transnational organized crime, and democratic backsliding across the Sahel and coastal Gulf of Guinea states. However, rather than traditional large-scale peace enforcement, the UN and international actors can emphasize preventive diplomacy, intelligence sharing, and supporting regional-led solutions.

The push for coordinated security support in West Africa stems from several critical factors:

Spreading Extremist Threats: Militant and terrorist networks continue to expand from the central Sahel toward northern Nigeria and coastal West African nations.

Transnational Crime: Sophisticated extremist groups are deeply intertwined with organized crime and drug trafficking.

Democratic Instability: Political volatility and military takeovers in states like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have complicated international relations and created security vacuums.

United Nations can oversee renewed diplomacy across West Africa and the Sahel which can yield tangible improvements, even as an increasingly sophisticated terrorist threat continues to wreak havoc across the region, particularly in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria. Terrorist actions intersect with transnational organized crime, and are aimed at consolidating territorial and economic control, erosion of public confidence in State authority, with serious damage to social cohesion. 

In Mali, coordinated attacks by Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin and the Front de Libération de l’Azawad targeted the cities of Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao and Mopti, causing civilian and military casualties, including the death of the Defence Minister.  Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria also continued to experience terrorist attacks, abductions and heavy civilian casualties. 

Mali is paying with blood for sending United Nations Force out of its territory. Mali’s withdrawal from the earlier G5 Sahel and the expulsion of French forces have left it increasingly isolated from regional cooperation,, resulting in deepened instability. 

In early 2026, Mali faces a severe security crisis with escalating attacks from jihadist groups and a potential “spectacular” failure of its security pivot to Russia. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—has struggled to replace the former G5 Sahel coalition, functioning more on paper than in practice, with limited joint military efficacy. 

JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen) and separatist groups have gained ground in Mali, conducting attacks near military bases in areas like Sévaré. In August, 2025 jihadists seized a base in Farabougou. The Malian junta’s reliance on Russian fighters (formerly Wagner Group/Africa Corps) has exposed major gaps in security. Malian soldiers claim Russian fighters lack respect for command and control, leading to personnel and equipment losses.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) failed to deliver a functional Joint Task Force to replace the French-backed G5. Despite acquiring new military equipment (jets, drones), they struggle to counter insurgents’ tactics of mobility and surprise. As of April 2026, experts classify the AES as more of a political alliance than a practical military defense against an unprecedented surge in violence. The Sahel is witnessing a rise in “World War X” scenarios, where new conflicts start faster than old ones are resolved. 

The insurgency in Sahel which initially was born in Northern Mali had quickly spread into neighbouring countries across the Sahel due to their weak state structure and poorly-equipped and low-skilled armed forces. France-US military withdrawal in the Sahel has led to regional instability and which the head of states of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso cannot manage. Recently, several jihadists fighters were reported to be entering Nigeria.

The persistent and growing strength of violent extremist organizations in the Sahel since the withdrawal of France-US military threatens the humanitarian services,the stability of West Africa and spread instability across Africa, posing significant security and financial risks to the United States and Europe. The continuing collapse of international counterterrorism support in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as weakening leadership in regional efforts, has created a vacuum in which violent extremism can expand.

I am worried over the Sahel countries political and economic instability. I doubt when peace will return to Sahel region. The three core Sahelian states are Mauritania, Mali and Niger, though the geographical conditions – and therefore challenges – also affect parts of Burkina Faso and Chad. Many of the challenges impact on neighbouring countries, including Nigeria and Algeria. Around 5000-strong troops were deployed across the Sahel as a part of a French operation headquartered in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena. The US contribution to French operations was limited to intelligence support, while Germany and the UK have shown little-to-no interest in France’s military-prioritised approach to the multi-layered crisis. 

French troops have been present in Mali since 2013 when they intervened to force Tuareg militants and Al Qaeda-linked groups from power in towns across the country’s north. Known as Operation Serval, it was later replaced by Operation Barkhane and expanded to include Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania in an effort to help stabilise the broader Sahel region. The drawdown led to the closure of French bases and stop the use of special forces who conducted anti-terror operations and provide military training to local armed forces.  

France, United States and their western alliance should lift their suspension of their joint military cooperations and return to Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso forces. There is need for western military alliance to continue to provide defence advice to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Inwalomhe Donald writes via inwalomhe.donald@yahoo.com