Fight against terrorism: Anti-IS coalition takes a look at Africa

The “Islamic State” has been pushed back in Iraq and Syria, but it is gaining popularity in parts of Africa. The USA and Italy are therefore calling for more engagement against the terrorist militia.

This coalition against the terrorist militia “Islamic State” (IS) has existed since 2014. At their meeting in Rome, their representatives first referred to the successes. IS no longer controls any territories or cities, neither in Iraq nor in Syria. Eight million people were liberated from the militia terror regime.

But the danger remains, everyone agrees. ISIS continues to operate underground in Iraq and Syria. In Africa, especially in the Sahel region, but also in Mozambique, more and more radical Islamic groups are joining the terror network.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio said: “Our help is needed in these countries and communities. Many villages are in the hands of terrorist organizations. And we often have no idea how big these territories are.”

It is not known whether the suicide attack on a Bundeswehr patrol in Mali, West Africa, was also the result of ISIS. 13 UN soldiers were injured, twelve Germans and one Belgian.

Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: “First of all, I am glad that all the injured soldiers are in Germany. And are being treated well there. That was a terrible attack that once again made it clear that the deployment in Mali was probably the most dangerous in which the Bundeswehr is involved. ”

Maas against withdrawal from Mali

For Maas, this attack is a further indication that this region could become a hub of international terrorism. That is why he is against a withdrawal of the Bundeswehr from Mali: “We will have to continue to stabilize there in order to give these regions development prospects. Anything else will lead to IS exploiting the plight of the people,” said Maas.

“And it mustn’t come to that. We need a somewhat broader approach. In particular the Sahel region, Mozambique and other neighboring countries – we will have to work even more closely with them.”

Few specific suggestions

This commitment is in the best interests of the European states in particular. This is how Italy’s Foreign Minister di Maio sees it. The militias threatened to further destabilize an already fragile region. Arms and human traffickers benefited from this. How the anti-IS coalition wants to support the African states in the fight against the jihadists, there is little concrete information in the final document of the meeting. After all, other African states were accepted into the coalition.

However, there was also an open conflict in Rome. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on the allies to take back foreign IS fighters imprisoned in Syria. There are still thousands of foreign jihadists in the prisons of the Syrian Kurds.

“Foreign fighters have to be repatriated, prosecuted and reintegrated whenever possible. That is really urgent,” said Blinken.

The USA wants to lead by example. Blinken also explicitly praised Italy and the Balkans. Most European countries, however, are opposed to bringing their adult nationals back from prison camps.