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A "wildfire of terrorism" is marching across Africa, a top U.S. general said citing deadly attacks by al-Qaida, jihadis connected to the Islamic State and al-Shabab, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, who leads the U.S. Africa Command, warned of terroristic threats at the end of the two-week-long African Lion war games held in the continent, an event with troops from the U.S., Africa and Europe.
"I am concerned about the security situation across a band of Africa," Townsend said and specifically mentioned the threat lies in the western Sahel region stretching to the eastern Horn of Africa.
Although African governments are receiving support from its neighbors, Townsend said "all of that does not seem to be sufficient enough to stop what I call...(the) wildfire of terrorism that's sweeping that region."
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Townsend said the "wildfire of terrorism" needs the world's attention.
The African Lion war games stretched across Morocco, a key U.S, ally, with smaller parts held in Tunisia and Senegal. The annual drills were skipped last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Townsend praised the work accomplished in joint operations and painted a dark picture of threats besetting parts of Africa.
"All of them are on the march," he said of al-Qaida- and Islamic State-linked jihadis and al-Shabab
African Lion saw more than 7,000 troops from seven countries and NATO carry out air, land and sea exercises together.
"It has helped our interoperability, our joint capabilities, and provided readiness and a good opportunity to build cohesion across the forces," said Maj. Gen. Andrew Rohling, commander of the U.S. Army's Southern European Task Force Africa. He spoke Friday in the desert town of Tan-Tan.
There was a hitch at the start, with Spain withdrawing from the war games citing budgetary reasons. Press reports attributed the move to Spain's poor relations with Morocco, a former key partner.
The two countries have been at loggerheads since Spain took in the leader of the Polisario Front independence movement — Morocco's No.1 enemy — for COVID-19 treatment in a Spanish hospital earlier this year. The Polisario is fighting for independence for the Western Sahara, a vast region that Morocco claims as its own.
During the exercise, Morocco held some airborne operations near the Western Sahara and not far from Polisario refugee camps in Tindouf, in neighboring Algeria.
"Those activities have been perfectly conducted and agreed upon between the two militaries," Moroccan Brigadier Gen. Mohammed Jamil told The Associated Press.
Townsend, asked whether any action spilled into the disputed Western Sahara, was categoric: "I can confirm it did not."
The participating countries in African Lion were the U.S., Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Italy, The Netherlands and Britain. Observers also attended from other countries, which included Egypt, Qatar, Niger and Mali.
