The Shifting Dynamics of Militant Islamist Violence in the Sahel: An In-depth and Expanded Analysis

Militant Islamist violence in the Sahel continues to shift southward and westward, putting ever more pressure on population centers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—as well as on their coastal West African neighbors.

Maçina Liberation Front leader Amadou Koufa (center) in a video released by the group in February 2023.

The Sahel has held the designation o…