From the Sahel to the East: Five Major Terrorism Hotspots in Africa

16th June 2026

3 minutes read

From the Sahel to the East: Five Major Terrorism Hotspots in Africa

From the Sahel to East Africa, terrorism continues to expand across the African continent. Organizations linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State are spreading their influence, further worsening humanitarian crises throughout the region.

According to a report by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Africa’s security situation and its local and regional consequences are at their most critical level ever, with terrorist organizations reaching an unprecedented peak in activity and influence.

Alongside a vast network of Islamic State affiliates stretching from West Africa to Central and East Africa, other groups such as Al-Shabaab and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims operate under the banner of Al-Qaeda across national borders, threatening the stability of African governments.

At the same time, these organizations maintain links with violent armed networks, extremist and separatist groups, as well as trafficking networks involved in weapons, drugs, human beings, minerals, and other illicit activities.

Terrorist activity is concentrated in five major regions across Africa and is primarily driven by two central networks: Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

These groups mainly operate in ungoverned rural areas, refugee zones, border regions, shared international spaces lacking effective state presence—such as the Liptako-Gourma triangle—and territories that provide fertile ground for extremist expansion.

The Sahel

The Sahel and West Africa currently represent the global epicenter of terrorism. The region is characterized by extensive territorial control by armed groups and frequent cross-border attacks.

Organizations such as the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims and the Islamic State Sahel Province are particularly active in central and northern Mali, Burkina Faso, and western Niger.

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims has imposed economic blockades in parts of Mali and expanded its operations into coastal West African countries, including northern Benin, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo.

The Lake Chad Basin

The Lake Chad Basin remains another long-standing center of terrorist activity.

The region witnesses clashes between the Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram, as well as confrontations with Nigerian security forces in northeastern Nigeria.

These groups are also active in the Mandara Mountains of Cameroon and across the wider southern Lake Chad Basin, encompassing parts of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

The Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia, remains one of the continent’s principal terrorist hotspots.

The region is dominated by Al-Shabaab, considered the largest Al-Qaeda affiliate in the world. The group controls vast rural areas in southern and central Somalia and operates a parallel governing structure.

It regularly launches attacks against urban centers, including the capital Mogadishu, and conducts cross-border operations into neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia.

The Islamic State also maintains a smaller presence in the region.

Southeastern Africa

In Mozambique, the province of Cabo Delgado, a key energy-producing region, has been battling an ongoing terrorist insurgency since 2017.

The Islamic State affiliate in Mozambique is primarily active in Cabo Delgado, the country’s northernmost province, while recently expanding into the neighboring province of Niassa.

The Great Lakes Region

In Central Africa’s Great Lakes region, Islamic State-affiliated groups are increasingly strengthening their cooperation in densely populated and resource-rich territories.

The Islamic State Central Africa Province includes the Allied Democratic Forces, which operate in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and in border areas extending into Uganda.

According to the report, the overall situation across Africa remains deeply concerning, as widespread instability continues to exacerbate humanitarian suffering.

In several regions, repeated terrorist attacks have severely weakened healthcare systems, leading to the destruction or abandonment of dozens of medical facilities.

Humanitarian organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, continue to rely on mobile clinics in conflict zones to provide specialized healthcare, maternity services, and mental health support to displaced populations.

16th June 2026

3 minutes read