The Sahel - the arid region between the Sahara desert to the north and Africa's savannas and forests to the south - has become increasingly prone to attacks by well-armed jihadists and reprisals by ethnic militia. The biggest surge in fatalities from attacks on civilians was in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, despite the deployment of thousands of Western and United Nations troops to try to contain the violence. Attacks have hardened existing rivalries between ethnic groups, especially herders and farmers, leading to a series of tit-for-tat reprisals. In Mali, ACLED documented 547 fatalities in attacks on civilians in the last five months, a more than fourfold increase on the same period a year earlier. And Burkina Faso, which had previously been known for its stability in a troubled region, suffered 499 fatalities from attacks on civilians, a more than 7,000 percent jump.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 28, 2019 16:07 UTC