Maat: 117 terrorist operations on the Black continent during the first quarter of 2024

“Okail”: We call on the African Union to strengthen capacity-building programs for African institutions and governments that suffer from the threat of terrorism.

“Hossban”: 14 countries in Africa witnessed terrorist operations during the first quarter of 2024, topped by Nigeria

In the context of its interest in promoting peace and security in Africa and ensuring the right to life for all, Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights Association issued a report on the lens of terrorist operations and acts of violence in Africa during the first quarter of 2024. The report included a monitoring of the most prominent terrorist acts and acts of violence throughout the African continent, estimated at 117 during the first quarter of 2024, causing approximately 1795 victims, including 1091 dead and 704 injured and kidnapped.

Among the States most affected by terrorism in Africa during the reporting period, Nigeria was at the forefront of the terrorist operations index, with 39 terrorist operations leaving 675 victims behind. Despite the decrease in terrorist operations in Somalia as a result of the Government's efforts in targeting the cells of extremist organizations, Al-Shabaab occupied the position of the organization most frequently committing terrorist operations during the period of 10 terrorist operations, 8 of them in Somalia and 2 in Kenya following a strategy that targeted the military strongholds. The report also noted an upsurge in the activity of the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin in Mali during the first quarter, targeting Malian army bases and headquarters with eight violent attacks.

The report examined his analysis of the efforts of African countries to defeat terrorism. Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced the formation of a joint military force to combat terrorism in the Sahel region. Egypt also initiated joint training with Britain in the field of "anti-terrorism" with a view to harmonizing concepts, exchanging experiences and refining skills for the special forces involved on both sides.

Commenting on the report, Ayman Okail, the international legal expert and Chairman of Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights Association, noted that Africa has been detained in the face of excessive violence and terrorism since it became a home and safe haven for armed terrorist groups, serving internal political conflicts and racial and ethnic conflicts that almost become part of the African continent.

therefore, Okail called on the African Union and all its organs to strengthen capacity-building programs for African institutions and governments that suffer from the threat of terrorism and to initiate regular meetings and panel discussions with the participation of all Member States to discuss the current situation as well as the obstacles and challenges facing African States concerning the crisis of terrorism and violence in Africa. Okail also appealed to strengthen cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations mechanisms concerned with combating terrorism in Africa.

For her part, Nesreen Hossban, researcher in Combating Hate Speech and Violent Extremism unit at Maat for Peace, mentioned the seriousness of the spread of terrorism and violent acts in Africa, after extending the arms of terrorism to all African regions by 117 terrorist operations during the first quarter of 2024, caused 1795 casualties among 1091 dead and 704 injured and kidnapped. Hossban called on the Group of African States not to deviate from the common collective effort and to continue to examine strategies for the promotion of African peace and security and to take advantage of common regional visions, with the need to focus on the efforts of civil society to monitor and document the movements of those organizations and to take advantage of the views and recommendations put forward by them.