The Sahel region of Africa has become “the epicenter of terrorism on the globe,” a top U.S. military official warned Thursday, cautioning that terror factions there are expanding rapidly and boosting their ability to carry out attacks on American soil.
Gen. Michael Langley, a four-star Marine Corps general and head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), described the Sahel—including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—as a flashpoint of prolonged conflict and instability.
Speaking from the African Chiefs of Defense Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Langley said multiple extremist groups, notably al-Qaeda-affiliated factions, have increased their size and capabilities over the past three years.
“Throughout my travels across West Africa and through dialogue here at the conference, the concerns shared by my peers match my own,” Langley said. “One of the terrorists’ key goals now is access to the west coast of Africa. If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores.”
According to Langley, Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group, has quadrupled in size since 2022, particularly expanding in Burkina Faso. Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has tripled its presence in the same timeframe, spreading across Mali, Burkina Faso, and parts of Niger.
U.S. Africa Command’s activities range from conducting airstrikes against terror groups like al-Shabaab in Somalia to deploying Army civil affairs soldiers for community infrastructure projects in Cameroon. However, with the recent pullback of American resources, AFRICOM is reassessing its role.
“Some things that we used to do, we may not do anymore,” Langley told reporters. “So we’re asking you to step up and burden-share with us.”
The withdrawal of aid has reportedly created opportunities for terror groups to exploit governance gaps. Langley pointed out that Somalia’s loss of U.S. Agency for International Development funding is likely emboldening al-Shabaab. “They’re making assumptions that there’s going to be gaps in aid in certain regions across Somalia, and there are shadow governments,” he said. “But the quicker the federal government of Somalia steps up and goes in those areas… time will tell.”
The United States is also facing a race with China and Russia to secure influence in Africa. China has intensified its engagement with African nations, including military training programs modeled on the U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) initiative. “They’re stepping it up and trying to replicate every type of thing,” Langley said, referencing China’s efforts to increase its presence in specialized military training and exercises.
The U.S. has conducted training exercises in Africa for decades, such as African Lion and Flintlock, aimed at bolstering local military capabilities. Yet with the recent drawdown in aid and strategic shifts, Langley emphasized that African nations must assume greater responsibility for their security. “Our goal is not to do more for Africa. It’s to help Africa do more for itself,” he said. “The U.S. will continue to support, but support will be on our overlapping security interests and must be matched by local leadership.”
As part of its continued involvement, AFRICOM will maintain intelligence sharing and conduct partner exercises, Langley said. These programs remain key to increasing African military capacity while providing training opportunities for U.S. troops.
The Sahel region’s instability has already prompted U.S. troop withdrawals, such as the closure of a military base in Niger last year after the government there requested the U.S. departure and welcomed Russian troops. Langley stressed that extremist groups are capitalizing on the security vacuum, warning, “Extremist groups are gaining ground and also expanding their ambitions. Therein lies the threat to the homeland as they gain in capability and capacity.”
