Accra: The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has expressed concern over the growing threat by extremist groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda in West Africa. The Command warned that insecurity in the Sahel was increasingly spilling southwards into coastal states and the Gulf of Guinea, with serious implications for regional stability.
According to Ghana News Agency, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, highlighted during a digital press briefing that violent extremist organisations were exerting pressure across the Sahel and expanding their reach, endangering capitals, border communities, and key economic corridors in the subregion. Gen. Anderson has, in his initial six months as Commander, intensified engagement with African partners, visiting over 11 countries to evaluate security conditions and gather insights on the expanding terrorist threat.
The collaborations have led to a renewed focus on intelligence sharing, partner-led operations, and aligning security cooperation with efforts to bolster stability and economic resilience in vulnerable areas. Gen. Anderson pointed out that groups affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda, including Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), were exploiting porous borders and weak governance to regroup and conduct attacks.
He emphasized the need for urgent and coordinated responses from regional governments and international partners, stressing that issues in one part of West Africa did not remain isolated due to terrorist networks, arms trafficking, and criminal activities crossing borders. The spillover effects in coastal countries along the Gulf of Guinea have raised concerns about maritime safety, trade flows, and civilian populations.
AFRICOM's counterterrorism strategy in West Africa is centred on partnerships rather than unilateral actions. Gen. Anderson noted the command's cooperation with 'willing and capable' African partners, citing Nigeria as a key example where collaboration has intensified through intelligence fusion and support for Nigerian-led operations. The aim is to enable partner nations to degrade terrorist networks, protect civilians, and prevent further territorial control by extremist groups.
Gen. Anderson also addressed maritime security concerns, noting the exploitation of routes by terrorist and criminal networks. Enhancing maritime domain awareness is critical for West African states to secure coastlines and disrupt illicit trafficking networks. He added that improved maritime cooperation could support broader economic goals by safeguarding trade routes.
Multinational military exercises like African Lion and Flintlock are a key part of AFRICOM's strategy, fostering cooperation among African and international partners to enhance interoperability and rehearse responses to threats. These exercises aim to build military capacity and encourage collaboration among countries facing shared security challenges.
Gen. Anderson stressed the link between security and development, warning that persistent insecurity discouraged investment and created conditions for extremism. AFRICOM is working with other U.S. government agencies to align security cooperation with economic and development initiatives, integrating military, diplomatic, and economic tools to support resilient societies.
He reiterated AFRICOM's commitment to supporting West African nations against the evolving terrorist threat, emphasizing that regional cooperation and African leadership are essential for durable solutions. While acknowledging the challenge's scale, he expressed confidence that coordinated action and partnerships could help restore stability across the sub-region.