Africa’s Sahel Region Grows As Breeding Ground for Terrorists

The Islamic State (IS) group has been the focus of intense global scrutiny since 2014 when it started taking territory in northwest Iraq and northeast Syria. Due to the poverty and vulnerabilities of its state functions, the Sahel region has become a breeding ground for the illicit trade of firearms, narcotic drugs and organized crimes such as kidnapping. A huge belt of land dividing the dry Sahara from the tropical savannah has become a playground for mercenaries. An absence of state security, poverty, and a lack of education create the perfect storm. After concerted and successful international efforts to curtail…