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Showing posts from March, 2025

Islamic State Supporter Discusses Making Hijra to the Sahel and West Africa

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Islamic State Supporter Discusses Making Hijra to the Sahel and West Africa On 24 September 2026, an Islamic State (IS) supporter in an online chatroom discussed making Hijra (migrating) to join Islamic State fighters in the Sahel and West Africa. Africa has been the main theatre of operations for IS since the fall of their strongholds in Syria and Iraq. The fact that supporters frequently discuss making Hijra to Africa online, underscores its importance. Pakistan is also often recommended in chatrooms to those wishing to join the group.  In Detail The supporter made the post in British English and appears to be a native English speaker. The supporter states he used machine translation to translate the message into Arabic.  1. Theological justification for making Hijra  The writer argues that making Hijra is a test of a Muslim's faith and distinguishes a "true Muslim" from "those who remain in comfort and hypocrisy". He says that since the outcome of making Hijr...

The Implications of SADC Troop Withdrawal from Eastern Congo on Regional Stability

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                                                                    Photo credits: The Chronicle ZW The withdrawal of SADC troops from the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) represents a significant turning point in the conflict dynamics within the region. SADC's military intervention, which has for years remained at the core of containing the activities of armed militias and supporting the government of the DRC. The withdrawal of these troops raises pressing questions about the future of regional stability, security governance, and the broader implications for the DRC and its neighbours. The rationale behind this withdrawal, the immediate security void that it creates, and the potential for increased conflict are all paramount in ascertaining the long-term stability of the region. The SADC and EAC Foreign Minis...

JNIM

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JNIM Fighters in the Sahel. Photo credits: Long War Journal Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda's most formidable African affiliate, has evolved into a sophisticated hybrid threat across the Sahel, effectively combining guerrilla warfare,  economic exploitation, and community co-option, generating an estimated annual revenue exceeding $100 million from illicit activities,  and achieving a battlefield lethality surpassing regional military capabilities to control territories larger than Belgium;  this short analysis, drawing upon classified intelligence, defector accounts, and field observations, examines JNIM’s structure and development,  revealing an ideological shift from global jihad to localised legitimacy under Iyad Ag Ghaly, wherein the group strategically exploits ethnic grievances, climate vulnerabilities,  and anti-colonial sentiment, as evidenced by their 2023 "Charter of the Sahel" aiming for an "Islamic...