This shift in funding methods has contributed to a sharp rise in violent attacks, such as the early June assault on a Malian military base that claimed over 40 soldiers’ lives and marked the deadliest attack in the country this year.

Dr Olayinka Ajala, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at Leeds Beckett University, highlights this troubling development, noting that “Africa holds roughly 30% of the world’s green resources, and terrorist groups are seizing these to sustain their activities.”

As demand grows worldwide for minerals used in green technologies, militant organisations have adapted, moving away from older tactics like kidnappings or local taxation, which are now less viable. “This new funding avenue has made their operations more resilient and complex,” Ajala explained.

The attack on the Malian base is part of a wider trend of bolder strikes on military targets across the Sahel, a region already struggling with instability. The challenge has been worsened by the closure of the United Sates drone base in Agadez, Niger, a critical surveillance hub that monitored vast swathes of the Sahel. Without this oversight, militants feel emboldened.

Adding to the problem, paramilitary vigilantes embedded within national security forces have been implicated in human rights abuses. Such behaviour alienates local communities, inadvertently pushing more people toward extremist groups. “When those entrusted with protection commit violations, it only drives recruitment for insurgents,”  Ajala said.

Foreign military forces have largely withdrawn, and regional security frameworks like the G5 Sahel and the Multinational Joint Task Force have weakened or collapsed. The military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, who came to power partly by promising to tackle insecurity, have struggled to fill this void. The result is a growing security vacuum that terrorists readily exploit.

Experts stress that defeating terrorism in the Sahel requires more than military might. Ajala calls for renewed international co-operation, better governance, and a serious crackdown on illicit resource trafficking. “Addressing the economic roots of terrorism and restoring trust with local communities is vital to breaking the cycle of violence,” he added.

--ChannelAfrica--