Daesh Exploits Instability in Africa and Syria, UN Experts Warn

Daesh Exploits Instability in Africa and Syria, UN Experts Warn
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Daesh extremists are exploiting instability in Africa and Syria, posing ongoing security threats across multiple regions, Arab News reported quoting UN counterterrorism experts.

The militant group, also known as Islamic State, declared a caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2014 but was militarily defeated in Iraq by 2017. Despite this, sleeper cells remain active in Iraq and Syria, with affiliates spreading in Africa, Central Asia, and Europe.

UN officials highlighted a resurgence of Daesh activity in the Sahel region—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—and West Africa, where the group produces significant terrorist propaganda and attracts foreign fighters. Arrests in Libya revealed logistics and financing networks linked to Daesh in the Sahel.

In Somalia, security forces countered a large-scale Daesh attack, killing around 200 fighters and arresting over 150. The group also receives foreign support, including money, drones, and expertise in explosives, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin.

Experts warned Daesh increasingly uses advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and social media for recruitment, fundraising, and propaganda, calling for innovative countermeasures to combat these evolving threats.