UN issues warning regarding Islamic State gaining land in Africa
Date
8/11/2024 7:50:13 AM
(MENAFN) A senior United Nations counterterrorism official has issued a stark warning about the growing influence of the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates in Africa. Vladimir Voronkov, head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), addressed the Security Council on Thursday, highlighting the jihadist group's expanding activities across a broad swath of Africa, from Mali to northern Nigeria.
Voronkov noted that IS and its offshoots have been increasingly active in several regions, including Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He expressed concern that if these militant groups continue to extend their reach, they could effectively control a significant area spanning from northern Nigeria to Mali. The United Nations official described the group's affiliates as resilient and adaptable, managing to persist despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
The expansion has also been notable in northern Mozambique and eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where there has been a marked rise in terrorist attacks and civilian casualties. Voronkov also pointed out that ISIL-Khorasan, the IS affiliate in Afghanistan, is contributing to heightened threat levels in Europe. The Islamic State, which emerged from radical Islamist factions in Iraq and gained prominence in 2014, has leveraged instability in the Middle East to extend its influence into Africa.
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