Local defence force volunteers ride on a motorbike through Ouagadougou, part of Burkina Faso's initiative to recruit civilians in combating jihadist violence, March 14, 2020.
© picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Sam Mednick
Arming Civilians in Burkina Faso. The State, the War on Terror and the Militarisation of Society
Megatrends Policy Brief 22, 21.02.2024, 8 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB22
Since 2016, jihadists affiliated with JNIM and ISGS have spread across Burkina Faso, offering resources and protection to marginalized areas while expelling state officials. This has fueled violence, reignited communal rivalries, and routinised armed mobilizations, as the use of weapons increasingly became a commonplace social practice.
Local defence force volunteers ride on a motorbike through Ouagadougou, part of Burkina Faso's initiative to recruit civilians in combating jihadist violence, March 14, 2020.
© picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Sam Mednick
While Niger’s pre-coup government took measures to control the self-defense militia garde nomade in Tahoua, it neglected the zankai in Tillabéri. European policymakers must understand the risks posed by the emergence of ethnic militias. Niger’s transition government should learn from its predecessor.
doi:10.18449/2023MTA-PB17
Jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS have gained influence in Niger's Tillabéri region, mobilising local populations with promises of protection and creating opportunities for social upheaval. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective political intervention in fragile contexts.
doi:10.18449/2023MTA-WP06
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is one of the most active jihadist movements. Its success is linked to the influence of the Islamic State (IS), which has encouraged the movement to adopt a more streamlined, bureaucratic governance that limits the amount of violence committed against Muslim civilians. This has caused great tension within the Nigerian jihadist movement. The Bakura faction resists this rationalisation and adheres to sectarianism, predation and clientelism. This case study explores the variety of jihadist governance models and their determinants.
doi:10.18449/2022MTA-PB08
