Washington plans to establish bases for drones in African countries… Why?
The United States is seeking to establish bases for military drones along the West African coast, claiming to halt the spread of extremist organizations (Al-Qaeda and ISIS) in the region, according to officials from the United States and Africa as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper explained that Washington is conducting preliminary talks to allow “unarmed” American reconnaissance drones to use airports in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin, the countries located on the Atlantic Ocean.
The three countries, along with Togo, find themselves currently threatened by extremists flowing south from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, three countries trapped in the Sahel region.
For many years, US commando forces and unmanned aircraft have supported French and local efforts to secure Sahel countries from terrorism before the emergence of Russian influence in the region.
Since 2017, approximately 41,000 people have been killed in terrorist violence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with The Wall Street Journal stating that this turmoil “created an opportunity for Russia to deepen political and military relations in the region.”
The drones will allow US forces to conduct aerial surveillance of militants along the coast and provide “tactical advice” to local forces during combat operations.
Retired Air Force Brigadier General Mark Hicks, former commander of US Special Operations forces in Africa, said, “There really isn’t a big choice but to act from the coastal countries in West Africa.”
Regions in Africa, from Somalia to Mozambique to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Sahel region, have become centers of violence. US and African military leaders see the biggest threat in West Africa coming from the group “Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen,” an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, responsible for most recent attacks.
Among the Sahel countries, Benin bears the greatest burden of violence, extending from the Gulf of Guinea to the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger, making it vulnerable to infiltration.
Extremists from Al-Qaeda and ISIS have launched attacks from the W and Pendjari National Parks, vast wilderness areas on the northern border of Benin.
In the first 9 months of 2023, 120 people were killed in 114 attacks and other violent incidents in Benin, an increase from 72 incidents in 2022, and 5 in 2021, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies affiliated with the US Department of Defense (Pentagon).
The neighboring Togo government reported that terrorist attacks, including ambushes, explosive devices, and gun battles between militants and security forces, resulted in the deaths of 31 people, including 11 civilians, during the first 11 months of 2023.
Ivory Coast has experienced 16 attacks since 2020, but no attacks occurred during the first 9 months of 2023.
