Posted on 02/02/2022 3:01:23 PM PST by BenLurkin
West Africa's Sahel region, where elected governments have failed to contain growing militant violence over the last decade that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.
Emboldened by popular anger, militaries in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso have taken matters into their own hands, staging four coups in 18 months and reversing democratic gains that had seen the region shed its tag as Africa's "coup belt".
The militant threat first came to West Africa in Mali in 2012, when Islamist fighters, some with links to al Qaeda, hijacked an ethnic Tuareg uprising.
The French military initially pushed the militants back, but they regrouped and in 2015 unleashed a wave of deadly attacks that later spread to Burkina Faso and Niger.
One of the first signs of trouble in Burkina Faso came in January 2016; al Qaeda claimed an attack on a restaurant and cafe in Ouagadougou that killed 30 people.
Underequipped armies have struggled to fight back, and the blame has largely fallen on civilian administrations who have also been tarnished by public perceptions of corruption.
Attacks on civilians and the military have continued since 2015, leaving many destitute and under the control of groups linked to global jihadist networks including Islamic State.
Meanwhile, Keita bought a $40 million presidential jet, causing an uproar at home. His son Karim came under fire in the local press for partying on the Spanish island of Ibiza.
Across the Sahel, thousands of people have been killed in Islamist violence, which, while not producing a parallel state as it did in parts of Syria and Iraq, has left Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in crisis.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
If I had to choose between a “free” government run by Muslims and a military dictatorship run by Christians, I think I might make the same choice these nations have made, as much as I cherish our republic.
Perfect opportunity for the emergence of Warlord Obama.
Caliph Baraq of North America!
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