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2021-06-17 Africa Subsaharan
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Cote d'Ivoire: Terrorism in Côte D'ivoire Is No Longer Just an External Threat
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[All Africa] Several attacks in Côte d'Ivoire along the border with Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
claimed the lives of six Ivorian soldiers in the past three months. Five others were maimed. These incidents have heightened fears of violent mostly peaceful extremism spreading in the country.
Ivorian authorities attribute the assaults to a group linked to Katiba Macina, affiliated with the Jamâ'ah Nusrah al-Islâm wal-Moslemîn (Group for the Support of Islam and Moslems).
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| Katiba Macina is one of the key gangs in al-Qaeda-aligned Group to Support Islam and Moslems (GSIM) -- which is one of the largest jihadist alliances operating in Mali. |
On the night of 7 June, armed fighters attacked the town of Tougbo (see map). A month earlier, Bolé was stormed, with attackers accusing residents of being informants for the Ivorian security forces. In March, armed forces in Kafolo and a gendarmerie post in Kolobougou were targeted.
On 1 April, a vehicle struck an improvised bomb on the road between Nassian and Kafolo. This is the first time such an incident has been reported in the country. On 12 April, a liaison vehicle of the national gendarmerie was similarly attacked on the same road.
Location of incidents in Côte d'Ivoire attributed to violent mostly peaceful holy warrior groups
These incidents aren't exhaustive and probably reflect the worst manifestations of the threat. And although the number of attacks to date is relatively small, it shows holy warrior groups' intention and ability to target Côte d'Ivoire.
The country needs to prepare for sporadic attacks on its defence and security forces and reprisals against civilians suspected of collaborating with them. Communities who resist holy warrior groups' efforts to embed among the locals will likely also be targeted.
The threat of violent mostly peaceful extremism to Côte d'Ivoire is perceived mainly as external. Attacks are believed to be perpetrated by individuals from Burkina Faso, who take advantage of the border's porosity. However,
today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday...
several incidents have occurred far from the border, suggesting that individuals linked to holy warrior groups are present in Ivorian territory.
Although people from neighbouring countries are suspected of providing the groups with information, logistics and financial resources, they are well integrated into the socio-economic fabric of Ivorian communities.
Extremists take advantage of vulnerabilities such as recurring conflicts between herders and farmers
The government of Côte d'Ivoire should avoid the mistake made by other countries in the region of seeing the threat only as an external problem. Violent extremism is usually a result of both external and domestic dynamics. Extremists exploit vulnerabilities such as local conflicts, governance deficits, security gaps and illicit activities to become integrated into communities, recruit members and raise funds.
Northern Côte d'Ivoire is not exempt from such weaknesses. Extremists take advantage of recurring conflicts between herders and farmers over access to grazing land and water, and tensions over crop destruction by livestock. The resentment felt by ex-fighters who believe they never benefited from reintegration programs is also exploited.
Extremists take advantage of the difficult conditions under which border communities live. They recruit with promises of financial and material reward, and promote illegal hunting or gold mining with the offer of protection services in return for support.
To stop bandidos holy warriors from deepening their roots in Côte d'Ivoire, cohesion within and between communities needs to be strengthened. Conflict resolution mechanisms should be reinforced, whether through local chiefs, the gendarmerie or the justice system. And relations between communities and government officials must improve. 
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Posted by Fred 2021-06-17 00:00||
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File under: Islamic State
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Posted by Dron66046 2021-06-17 23:16||
2021-06-17 23:16||
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