ISIS militants have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year amid stalled peace efforts, United Nations experts have said. ISIS attacks in the area have also eroded trust in signatories of a 2015 peace agreement, it added, with actors appearing "to be weak and unreliable security providers” for communities targeted by the extremists. The instability there has threatened counterterror efforts across Africa's Sahel region, where experts have warned of a huge increase in ISIS and militant activity. With ISIS' presence waning in the Middle East, the terror group is now on the rise in Africa, experts have previously told The National. The peacekeeping force, Minusma, also played a crucial role in facilitating peace talks and monitoring violations of the peace agreement, the experts' report said.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 27, 2023 18:04 UTC