By Rohan Gunaratna

Introduction

Away from the glare of the international media, terrorism is on the rise in Africa. Although the focus is on the Middle East, the epicentre of global terrorism has shifted to Africa. After the physical collapse of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on March 23, 2019, Africa witnessed the steadfast rise of terrorist movements. The very ideologies both of the Islamic State and Al Qaeda started to influence the threat landscape in Africa. 

In Africa, the violence was spearheaded by African affiliates of groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Many local groups in Africa pledged allegiance either to Al Qaeda or the Islamic State. For instance, Al Shabab in Somalia pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda and Boko Haram pledge allegiance to the Islamic State.

The Context

Today, violence in Africa is influenced by the ideologies of Salafi Wahhabism and Ikhwanul Muslimeen or the Muslim Brotherhood. Both Al Qaeda and the Islamic State and their affiliates drive exclusivism, extremism, violence, and terrorism in Africa. Although Al Qaeda remains a robust movement in Africa, this assessment will focus on the rise of threat in Africa driven by the Islamic State and their affiliates. 

Will the tempo of the fighting in the Middle East create an impact in Africa?

The Islamic State’s an Naba published issue 537 of its digital weekly on March 5, 2026, which featured “exclusive” reports about its attacks and assaults on government and pro-government forces, as well as Christians, in Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and it also shared some photos showing the war spoils its fighters seized an enemy troops that fell in action.

In Nigeria, an Naba shed light on a previously claimed operation on an army camp in the town of Mainta in Borno state, where IS fighters attacked the camp, killing its commander and another soldier, and set fire to structures inside, along with a tank and some armored vehicles. It reported on another same-day assault also targeting a camp in Gajiram in Borno, where IS fighters attacked the army, killing one soldier and torching a vehicle, and it considered both incidents as part of the “Holocaust of the Camps” campaign, which involves mainly incendiary attacks on positions for African armies.

As for Niger, the digital weekly referred to an operation on a post for-pro army militias in Tillaberi region, where IS fighters killed 14 operatives and seized their weapons, whereas in the DRC, it reported on a gunfight between the group fighters and the Congolese army in an assault on a barracks in Ituri province, where they killed two military personnel and set fire to the camp.

According to SITE Intelligence Group that translated An Naba issue 537 the threat is evident in west, east and central Africa.

“Twenty-Seven Christians and 14 From Nigerian and Nigerien Forces Killed, Camp and 11 Vehicles Torched in Escalating Attacks in West Africa
An-Naba; West Africa Province

The soldiers of the Caliphate in West Africa this week escalated their attacks, which reached around 12 assaults and operations, where in they killed eight from the Nigerian army and its militias, including an officer, torched a camp and dozens of vehicles, and seized another vehicle. They also killed six from the Nigerien army, destroying a vehicle for them, whereas they also killed 27 belligerent Christians and torched 10 houses for them. The attacks were distributed throughout Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states in Nigeria and reached Diffa region in Niger.

Camp Stormed, Commander Killed, and 8 Army Vehicles Torched
As part of the “Holocaust of the Camps” campaign, the soldiers of the Caliphate on the night of Saturday 11 Ramadan [February 28] waged an attack on a camp for the Nigerian army in the town of Mainti [Mainta] of Borno state.

Violent clashes erupted with an assortment of weapons, lasting for half an hour, and resulted in the killing of the commander of the camp and another element and the wounding of others as they fled, with the camp coming under control.

The mujahideen set fire to the barracks in the camp, along with a tank and three four-wheel drives, as well as four trucks. They also seized three rifles, a rocket launcher, and four motorbikes, and unto Allah is all praise.

Exclusive: An exclusive source told an-Naba that the mujahideen blasted two explosive devices on a supporting enemy patrol that was on its way toward the camp, but they could not determine the losses.

Element Killed and Armored Vehicle Torched in Attack on Another Camp
In the same regard, the mujahideen on the same night attacked another Nigerian army camp in the town of Gajiram with an assortment of weapons, killing one element, wounding another, torching an armored vehicle, and seizing a rifle and a medium machine gun, and unto Allah is all praise.
Local media outlets circulated footage showing Crusader soldiers taking part in evacuating the wounded from the Nigerian forces at the attack site.

Islam, Jizya, or Death
Exclusive: On this occasion, the mujahideen reiterated their message to the Christians of Nigeria through an exclusive source that spoke to an-Naba that the only way to preserve their blood is in the options that our holy religion gave them. They have to choose between proselytization to Islam, paying jizya [tax by non-Muslims], or death. He confirmed that this is a fair equation as just as Allah Almighty is, whom Alone is Worthy of worship.”

Africa – The Rising Epicentre of Terrorism

From Somalia to Sudan, Mali to Nigeria, every day, state actors influenced by Salafi Wahhabism and Ikhwanul Muslimeen as well as terrorist affiliates of Al Qaeda and Islamic State kill, maim and injure people. They attack civilians and security forces personnel. The threat has to be fought by both governments working together with Muslim leaders especially with the support of their religious and educational institutions. 

In Africa, there is no effective multi faceted strategy to defeat the rising threat either ideologically or operationally. The foundational ideologies of Islamic State and Al Qaeda are Salafi Wahhabism and Ikhwanul Muslimeen or the Muslim Brotherhood. Africa is not an exception to this global trend. In addition to Al Qaeda affiliates such as JNIM in the Sahel and Al Shabab in East Africa, Islamic State and their affiliates drive exclusivism, extremism, violence, and terrorism in Africa. The incidents of violence demonstrates the seriousness of the threat.

According to the Islamic State’s An Naba, 

Twenty-Eight Elements From Apostate Militias and Police Killed in Attacks by Mujahideen in West of Niger

An-Naba; Sahel Province
The soldiers of the Caliphate in Sahel Province this week killed 23 from the ranks of the militias loyalist to the apostate Nigerien government, wounded at least eight others, and also killed five elements from the apostate police and seized their weapons in three separate assaults in Tillaberi region in the west of Niger.

Fourteen Killed From Nigerien Militias

In the same regard, the soldiers of the Caliphate on Thursday 9 Ramadan [February 26] waged an attack on another post for the militias loyalist to the apostate Nigerien government in the town of Dougou and its vicinity in the Tillaberi region with an assortment of weapons, killing at least 14 elements and seizing 14 rifles and a medium machine gun before the mujahideen returned safely to their locations, and unto Allah is all praise.

In Africa, the threat is cascading. The centre of gravity of terrorism is in the Sahel but recently it has spread especially to the south. The two African regions most affected are Central Africa and Eastern Africa. 

According to the Islamic State’s An Naba, 

Two Congolese Army Troops and 2 Christians Killed in Attacks in East of Congo
An-Naba; Central Africa Province

The soldiers of the Caliphate in Central Africa Province this week killed two elements from the Crusader Congolese army and torched a barracks for them, and they also killed two other belligerent Christians in three separate attacks in Ituri area and Lubero territory in the east of Congo.

Two Killed From Congolese Army
In a related context, the soldiers of the Caliphate on Saturday 11 Ramadan [February 28] mounted an assault on a barracks for the Crusader Congolese army in “Machongano” village in Ituri area and engaged them with machine guns, killing two elements, wounding two others, and seizing a medium machine gun and two rifles. The mujahideen torched the barracks and returned safely to their locations, and unto Allah is all praise.

Conclusion

The threat of terrorism in Africa is very real. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the heartland of the ideologies that influenced the rise of global terrorism. However, despite the war in the Middle East, the number of terrorist attacks in Africa demonstrates that the threat of terrorism is moving from the MENA region to Sub Saharan Africa. After the Hamas-led terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and the participation of other proxies supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Shi’ite proxies, the Middle East plunged into a state of war. Nonetheless, Africa’s west, east and center will witness more terrorist attacks than any other region or sub region of the world. 

With all eyes on the Middle East, the emergence of terrorism in Africa should not be neglected.

African leaders should rise to the occasion to contain the spread of vicious ideologies and defeat the capabilities both of Al Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates.

Africa has no Africa-wide strategy or a continental strategy. To fight a threat that will overwhelm Africa in the years to come, this is the right time. To defeat the rising threat in the continent, they should work together within Africa and with international partners. Bilaterally, sub regionally, regionally and globally, they should build cooperation, collaboration and partnerships. The basic building blocks of working together internationally is domestic cooperation. That is at a national level, the law enforcement authorities, intelligence agencies and military forces talk with each other, exchange personnel, build common data bases, conduct joint training and operations, and share resources, technology, expertise and experience. 

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Professor Rohan Gunaratna is the lead editor of the “Handbook of Terrorism in Africa” together with 26 experts. Published by Palgrave Macmillan, the Handbook maps the threat and recommends responses to mitigate the threat. As the founder head of Singapore’s International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR), Prof. Gunaratna travelled extensively in Africa to engage governments and their partners to enhance their specialist understanding and raise public awareness of the rise of terrorism in Africa. The Handbook delineates the spillover effect of terrorism in Africa to other regions of the world.