Credit: africom.mil / U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command meets with Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré Sept. 17, 2019 during a visit to Burkina Faso.

By Gary Raynaldo  /  DIPLOMATIC TIMES

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command visited Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger last month, marking his first trip to West Africa since taking command in July. Terror and violent attacks linked to militant Islamic groups in the Africa SAHEL  region have increased dramatically during the past few years.  Since 2013, when the United Nations MINUSMA peacekeeping mission deployed,   more than 200 peacekeepers have died in Mali, including close to  120 killed during hostilities.   The deadly violence has spiraled out of control this year, in particular, despite the presence of thousands of UN and international peacekeeping troops in Mali,  and across the Sahel region.  During the trip to West Africa , Commander Townsend met with partner nation government and military officials to discuss defense and security issues related to the complex and evolving threat in the Sahel.   In Mali, Townsend met with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, senior Malian military leaders and leaders of the G5 Sahel Joint Task Force. This African-led organization is comprised of five neighboring countries that respond to transnational security, humanitarian and development challenges in the Sahel. U.S. military funding to the G5 Sahel Joint Force provides equipment, training, and advisory support to allow G5 members to operate, protect, and maintain mobile infantry forces in their fight against violent extremist groups in the region.

Credit: africom.mil / U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command shakes hands with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou Sept. 18, 2019 in Niamey, Niger.

“The G5 Sahel Force has a tough mission. Our continued assistance and partnership will help them, the Malian security forces and our other partners as they work to achieve it.”

-U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend

Credit: africom.mil / U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets with MALI President  Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta Sept. 16, 2019 during a visit to the country.

In MALI, the primary U.S. military focus is defense institution building with the goal of positioning African partner self-sufficiency, enabling them to address and resolve issues on their own.

“Security in this region relies on an international effort to disrupt and neutralize terror networks. While we will continue to help Mali build and enhance their capabilities to prevent the spread of violence in the  Sahel, ultimate success requires African-led operations and solutions.”

-U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend

In NIGER, Townsend met with President Mahamadou Issoufou, senior Nigerien military officers and deployed U.S. troops. Niger’s participation in multinational operations geared at countering threats on multiple borders. Niger is one of two countries that contribute to both the G5 Sahel Joint Task Force and the Multinational Joint Task Force. Chad also contributes to both.    U.S.  military funding to the  G5 Sahel Joint Force provides equipment, training, and advisory  support to allow G5 members to operate, protect, and maintain mobile infantry forces in their fight against violent extremist groups in the region, according to AFRICOM.

African Ambassadors Call For More Action To End Terror Attacks in SAHEL

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / Diplomatic Times /  Ambassador of Niger to the United States Abdallah Wafy (left)  with  Ambassador Ambassador  of Mauritania  to the U.S.  Sept. 9, 2019 Washington D.C. Africa Sahel Conference. 

“We are very grateful to the U.S. for the support and assistance extended to us in our fight against terrorism. Terrorism has no future in the Sahel and will be defeated. We need peace, stability, and democracy to build a better world for all…We very much value the partnership with the United States.”

-Ambassador Abdallah Wafy,  Niger Ambassador to United States.

 Frustration is mounting among African leaders as there seems to be no end to deadly terror and ethnic attacks across the Sahel. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies  held a roundtable, “Strategies for Peace and Security in the Sahel” at National Defense University in Washington D.C. last month to address the security issue in the African region . Ambassadors and representatives  from Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Chad, and Burkina Faso participated in the forum.   Militant groups in the SAHEL have grown more active.  Events linked to militant Islamist activity, including al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) affiliates and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), collectively tripled in 2018, to 464 violent episodes from 192 the year prior, according to the Africa Center For Strategic Studies.   Overall, militant Islamist groups in Africa engaged in 3,050 violent events in 2018—a record level of activity.