The United Nation has expressed concern about global terrorism adapting and metamorphosing across Africa in the wake of the Taliban taking over in Afghanistan.
The world body said it will ensure the Asian country won’t again become a terrorist haven.
UN counter-terrorism chief, Vladimir Voronkov, told the Security Council on Thursday at UN headquarters, New York, pointed out how transnational terrorist groups like ISIS, al Qaeda, Da’esh with roots in Afghanistan are now present in Africa , wreaking havoc.
The so-called “Islamic State in the Greater Sahara” has killed several hundred civilians since the start of 2021 in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The group’s “West Africa Province” will likely gain from the weakening of Boko Haram, with additional spillover of terrorists and foreign fighters from Libya.
Over a thousand Boko Haram fighters and their families recently surrendered as the Nigerian military turn the heat on the terrorists.
He also noted the expansion of Da’esh in Central Africa and especially in northern Mozambique could have far-reaching implications for peace and security in the region.
“A global response is urgently needed to support the efforts of African countries and regional organisations to counter terrorism and address its interplay with conflict, organised crime, governance and development gaps,” Voronkov said.
Alongside Da’esh’s expansion in Africa and its rapid shift online, Voronkov also cited the continued detention of thousands of individuals with alleged links to terrorist groups as another factor exacerbating the threat.
Deteriorating conditions in detention facilities and displacement camps in northeast Syria, in particular, are serving as a rallying cry for terrorist activities.
They have already fuelled instances of terrorist radicalisation, fund-raising, arms smuggling, training and incitement to terror.
Against that backdrop, he echoed calls from officials across the UN for member states to voluntarily repatriate all concerned individuals, with a particular focus on children