https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230923/algeria-warns-of-terrorist-armies-in-sahel-calls-for-new-approach-to-combat-terrorism-1062295229.html
Algeria Warns of 'Terrorist Armies' in Sahel, Calls for New Approach to Combat Terrorism
Algeria Warns of 'Terrorist Armies' in Sahel, Calls for New Approach to Combat Terrorism
Sputnik Africa
The Sahel region is now considered the global epicenter of terrorism, with violent attacks intensifying in recent years due to the growth of Daesh* and... 23.09.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-09-23T14:42+0200
2023-09-23T14:42+0200
2023-09-23T14:43+0200
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There is an urgent need to adopt a new approach in the fight against terrorism in Africa as the terrorist threat on the continent, particularly in the Sahel region, continues to grow, said Ahmed Attaf, Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, at an African Union (AU) ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, USA.According to Algeria's foreign minister, drawing lessons from "its bitter but successful experience" in the fight against terrorism, the country "firmly believes that a two-pronged approach" is needed to combat both the manifestations of terrorism and its root causes in the Sahel region and beyond. In this regard, Attaf recalled, "Algeria has called for the holding of an international conference on development in the Sahel and the creation of a new model of peace operations better adapted to the context of the fight against terrorism."Sahel as Global Epicenter of TerrorismThe minister went on to say that the Sahel, which faces complex development challenges as one of the poorest regions in the world, has recently become like an "arc of fire" stretching from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is an area that currently hosts the highest concentration of armed conflicts and crisis situations, which continue to inflict unbearable suffering on the civilian population, he added. He also noted that the countries and people of the region face terrorist groups that are among the world's most dynamic and dangerous. Heavily armed and equipped with sophisticated weapons, these groups have extended their control over vast geographic areas where they act as de facto local authorities. Moreover, he emphasized, they are "capable of deploying incredibly skillful military strategies."The minister called on the international community to prioritize the fight against the proliferation factors that have triggered and fueled the spread of this growing threat. He further elaborated that "the resurgence of the phenomenon of unconstitutional changes" in West Africa has further complicated the situation in terms of weakening public institutions, worsening "the already precarious security landscape, and adding more burdens and obstacles to the already fragile economic development."Against this backdrop, he stated, the next meeting of the region's leaders should serve to sound the alarm about the critical situation created by the spread of terrorism in Africa. It should aim to revive global interest and reinvigorate the international fight against terrorism and violent extremism, Attaf stressed.Algeria's foreign minister further warned that the time of "utmost importance" has come, elaborating that if nothing is done now, the scourge of terrorism and its consequences will be felt far beyond the region and the African continent.*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) and al-Qaeda are terrorist organizations outlawed in Russia and many other states.
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Algeria Warns of 'Terrorist Armies' in Sahel, Calls for New Approach to Combat Terrorism
14:42 23.09.2023 (Updated: 14:43 23.09.2023) The Sahel region is now considered the global epicenter of terrorism, with violent attacks intensifying in recent years due to the growth of Daesh* and al-Qaeda* affiliates. From January 1 to June 30 this year, West Africa and the Sahel recorded 1,814 incidents of terrorist attacks, resulting in 4,593 deaths, according to UN estimates.
There is an urgent need to adopt a new approach in the fight against terrorism in Africa as the
terrorist threat on the continent, particularly in the Sahel region, continues to grow, said Ahmed Attaf, Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, at an African Union (AU) ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, USA.
"Terrorism has become the number one threat to peace and security in Africa. Recent developments have clearly shown that while this threat has decreased significantly in other parts of the world, it has increased exponentially on our continent, particularly in the Sahel region," Attaf said during the meeting, which aimed to address the growing terrorist threats facing countries and people across Africa.
According to Algeria's foreign minister, drawing lessons from "its bitter but successful experience" in the fight against terrorism, the country "firmly believes that a two-pronged approach" is needed
to combat both the manifestations of terrorism and its root causes in the Sahel region and beyond.
"In the face of a constantly evolving threat, we certainly need a new approach, a new commitment and bold action. The status quo is no longer an option, nor a comfortable position," he stressed.
In this regard, Attaf recalled, "Algeria has called for the holding of an international conference on development in the Sahel and the creation of a new model of peace operations better adapted to the context of the fight against terrorism."
Sahel as Global Epicenter of Terrorism
The minister went on to say that the Sahel, which faces complex development challenges as one of the poorest regions in the world, has recently become like an "arc of fire" stretching from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is an area that currently hosts the highest concentration of armed conflicts and crisis situations, which continue to inflict unbearable suffering on the civilian population, he added.
This region "has become the most affected and the global epicenter of the scourge of terrorism. In 2022 alone, it recorded more than 43% of deaths due to terrorism in the world," he Attaf said.
He also noted that the countries and people of the region face
terrorist groups that are among the world's most dynamic and dangerous. Heavily armed and equipped with sophisticated weapons, these groups have extended their control over vast geographic areas where they act as de facto local authorities. Moreover, he emphasized, they are "capable of deploying incredibly skillful military strategies."
"In Algeria, we have stopped using the term 'terrorist groups' to describe what could accurately and realistically be called 'terrorist armies,'" the minister noted.
The minister called on the international community to prioritize the
fight against the proliferation factors that have triggered and fueled the spread of this growing threat. He further elaborated that "the resurgence of the phenomenon of unconstitutional changes" in West Africa has further complicated the situation in terms of weakening public institutions, worsening "the already precarious security landscape, and adding more burdens and obstacles to the already fragile economic development."
Against this backdrop, he stated, the next meeting of the region's leaders should serve to sound the alarm about the critical situation created by the spread of terrorism in Africa. It should aim to revive global interest and reinvigorate the international fight against terrorism and violent extremism, Attaf stressed.
"With the participation of all AU member states, we must make our voice heard clearly: what Africa faces is not a local threat, but a global threat, a threat that knows no borders or nationality, a threat from which no one can be considered immune," he concluded.
Algeria's foreign minister further warned that the time of "utmost importance" has come, elaborating that if nothing is done now, the scourge of terrorism and its consequences will be felt far beyond the region and the African continent.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) and al-Qaeda are terrorist organizations outlawed in Russia and many other states.
