The impact of US withdrawal from the Sahel on counterterrorism operational effectiveness.

27 March 2025, Version 1
This content is an early or alternative research output and has not been peer-reviewed at the time of posting.

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of the US's reduced military footprint on the effectiveness of counterterrorism operations conducted by local and regional security forces. The paper focuses on countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger which faces complex security challenges from violent extremist organizations because of poverty, economic decline, weak governance, and porous borders to establish a sanctuary in ungoverned spaces. The US presence in the region since 9/11 has bolstered local and regional counterterrorism efforts by providing essential support in intelligence-sharing, training, surveillance missions, and logistics. The paper investigates the operational implications and consequences of this withdrawal, focusing on how reduced US support affects the capabilities of Sahelian nations and local and regional security forces in countering violent extremist groups and managing their complex security environments. The paper relies on secondary qualitative evidence from the existing literature to draw a comparative thematic analysis of US counterterrorism effectiveness.

Keywords

US withdrawal
Sahel
counterterrorism
operational effectiveness
violent extremist organization
terrorism

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