Episode 194 – Why are jihadis spreading into coastal West Africa?
Many have noted that the single greatest concentration of jihadi terrorists lies on the African continent. Whether we are talking about the decades-long Al Shabaab scourge in Somalia, Boko Haram/ISWAP in Nigeria, or the large number of Islamist extremists in the Sahel, there is no question that Africa is suffering from the vast majority of casualties and attacks. More recently, there are fears that these violent actors are spreading into West African nations (Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, etc.). What is happening here and how dangerous is it? A chat with West African specialist Guillaume Soto-Mayor.
About my guest
Guillaume Soto-Mayor is an independent researcher/analyst covering security and political issues in Africa. He is a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute and a fellow at CRTG Working Group. He has more than 10 years’ experience in the international security sector and field research capacity (Africa, Europe), combining work as a senior manager with a specialty in intelligence acquisition and analysis.
Generational Warfare in the Sahel: The Khilafa Cubs and the Dynamics of Violent Insurgency within the Islamic State Province (crtgroup.org)
Togo: Over 30 dead in “terrorist attacks” in 2023 | Africanews
CANADIAN INTELLIGENCE EH!
In a world of multiple voices and opinions it can be very hard to know where to turn. One choice is to look to those who actually worked in counter-terrorism in the national security world. In these half-hour podcasts, 30-year Canadian intelligence veteran Phil Gurski is joined by a fascinating array of individuals with something meaningful to say about these issues as they provide insight into what they mean and what we need to do about them.
About Phil Gurski
Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specialising in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation. He is the author of six books on terrorism, including the most recent The Peaceable Kingdom: A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the present.
