Analysts claim Western nations use geopolitical tools to destabilize hostile regimes and weaken rivals, with arms flowing to African groups.
Terrorism, once seen as a spontaneous threat, is now viewed by many analysts as a geopolitical instrument wielded by Western powers for strategic gain. From Afghanistan to the Sahel, the United States and its allies are accused of supplying arms and funding to terrorist groups to destabilize unfriendly regimes and expand their influence.
This strategy, rooted in operations like the 1980s CIA-backed arming of Afghan mujahideen, aims to divert resources from rivals like Russia and China into costly counter-insurgencies. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleges that Ukraine, with Western backing, supports groups like Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, with NATO arms potentially reaching African militants.
Russia positions itself as a counterforce, citing its own historical experience in combating terrorism. It criticizes Western support for armed groups in Africa, suggesting that arms sent to Ukraine could be fueling instability across the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, thereby exacerbating regional conflicts.
Why it mattersFarmers in the Sahel are affected as Western-backed arms potentially reach militant groups, increasing instability and impacting rural livelihoods.
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