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African Leaders Plot Offensive Against Armed Groups’ Threat

African Leaders Plot Offensive Against Armed Groups’ Threat

Seven African leaders have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for a special summit to discuss how to deal with a growing threat from organized armed groups across the continent. The Presidents,  from the African Union Peace and Security Council Summit member states, said the spread of radicalism, extremism and terrorism is a threat to many countries hence the need to confront them with all available resources.

The seven include the host Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Idriss Derby (Chad), Mahamadou Issousou (Niger), Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria), Hassan Sheikh Muhamoud (Somalia), Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), and Yoweri Museveni (Uganda).

In the past decade, the African continent has witnessed a major expansion and escalation of terrorist violence. Security experts say the threat of terrorism is accelerating across Africa at an alarming rate; so far, 22 countries have been targeted.

African leaders meeting in Equatorial Guinea in June expressed deep concern about the threats from Boko Haram in Nigeria, al-Shabab in the horn of Africa and from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM], which operates in a wide area across the Sahara, Algeria and Morocco, Al Jazeera reported.