defenceWeb
Written by ISSAfrica -
114
More holistic approaches are now being used, but they still see conflict and violence through a counter-terrorism lens.
ince it started nine years ago, the Sahel security crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives, forcibly displaced millions, and triggered record levels of food shortages. Last year alone it claimed nearly 6 500 lives in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Widespread violence and insecurity have sparked a severe humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 13.4 million people needing immediate assistance by October 2020 – 20% of the region’s population.
The situation is particularly alarming in the Liptako-Gourma region, where Mali, Niger and Burkina share porous borders. Attacks by violent extremist groups and other armed actors combine with illicit activities, local conflicts and communal violence to further weaken a region that’s long suffered from governance deficiencies.