Jihadist violence in Africa hits record fatalities

Jihadist violence in Africa has reached record levels, with over 23,800 fatalities reported in the last year according to the African Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS). This represents a significant increase compared to 10,000 deaths in 2017 and 13,500 in 2021.

The Sahel region remains the epicenter, accounting for 42% of fatalities, while Somalia and the Lake Chad Basin each account for 28%. Together, these three areas represent 92% of the 166,000 deaths linked to Islamist violence in Africa over the last decade.

A notable shift in tactics involves the increased use of drones. Fatalities from remote violence, including aviation and drones, rose by 42% in the last twelve months. While 80% of these deaths are attributed to conventional airstrikes, the use of drones by militant groups is growing rapidly. The Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM is identified as having advanced drone capabilities in the Sahel, utilizing modified commercial models like the DJI Mavic 3 to drop improvised munitions.