The United Nations has warned that the Islamic State terrorist group continues to pose a significant threat to peace and security across Africa, with the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin and parts of Central Africa remaining among the regions most affected by extremist violence.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), senior United Nations counter terrorism officials delivered the warning while briefing the UN Security Council on the activities of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh or the Islamic State.
Chief of the Office of the Under Secretary General for Counter Terrorism, Oguljeren Niyazberdiyeva, said although sustained international military operations have disrupted the group’s senior leadership, the organisation has evolved into a more decentralised network, allowing it to continue expanding its influence through affiliated groups.
She identified the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as the most active affiliate of the terrorist organisation globally, warning that Africa now bears the greatest burden of ISIL related violence.
“In spite of international efforts, Da’esh continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security,” she told the Security Council while presenting the UN Secretary General’s 23rd report on ISIL activities and global counter terrorism efforts.
Niyazberdiyeva explained that the terrorist group has increasingly adopted sophisticated technologies, including artificial intelligence, encrypted communication platforms, virtual assets, drones and other emerging digital tools, to recruit members, mobilise funding, spread extremist propaganda and coordinate attacks across borders.
She also warned that terrorist organisations continue to exploit weak governance, prolonged armed conflicts, poverty, fragile security institutions and political instability to strengthen their presence in vulnerable regions.
The UN official urged countries to deepen international cooperation and intensify practical measures to prevent the terrorist group and its affiliated networks from rebuilding their operational capabilities.
During the Security Council session, member states emphasised the need for stronger international support for African countries confronting terrorism.
Somalia’s representative called for greater assistance that would strengthen national ownership of counter terrorism programmes while supporting countries on the frontlines of the fight against violent extremism.
Deputy Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jocelyne Lukundula, also appealed for increased international backing, warning that without sustained vigilance and global cooperation, terrorism could spread further across the continent and beyond.
Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lewis Brown, noted that sub Saharan Africa now accounts for more than half of global terrorism related deaths, highlighting the worsening security situation across the region.
He warned that terrorist organisations operating in the Sahel are no longer merely attempting to destabilise governments but are increasingly seeking to replace state authority in territories under their control.
Brown further cautioned that extremist groups are gradually extending their operations toward coastal West African countries, calling for stronger border intelligence, improved operational capacity and enhanced regional security cooperation.
Security Council members also expressed concern over the growing role of foreign terrorist fighters, online radicalisation, organised crime and rapidly advancing technologies, warning that these developments are outpacing existing counter terrorism strategies.
The council concluded that defeating terrorism requires a comprehensive approach that combines military operations with political, economic and social interventions tailored to the unique challenges facing affected communities.
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