Sahel Jihadism Defies Counterterrorism Efforts

This Economist newsletter item, written by Africa correspondent Tom Gardner, frames a report from an American-led counter-terrorism training effort in Africa. Although the provided text does not include the full article body, the headline and surrounding context indicate that the piece examines an effort to combat jihadist violence through training and security cooperation, likely in response to the growing threat of militant groups in the Sahel and broader African regions. The newsletter format suggests a concise, on-the-ground dispatch rather than a long-form analysis. The surrounding links and headlines help place the article in a broader regional-security context: jihadism is expanding in the Sahel, Mali’s militants are strengthening, and international actors—including the US—are trying to contain the threat through diplomacy, military pressure, and partnerships. The article’s likely focus is the practical reality of such a bootcamp: who participates, what tactics or doctrine are being taught, how effective these efforts are, and whether they can meaningfully slow insurgent violence. The presence of other recent Africa and Middle East headlines also suggests The Economist is connecting this piece to wider instability across Africa and the Middle East, especially the spillover effects of conflict and insecurity. Because the source text is largely newsletter framing and site navigation rather than the article itself, the clean version below preserves only the visible article-identifying text and removes access prompts and unrelated page clutter.

The article examines how jihadist groups are gaining strength in Mali and the wider Sahel, despite years of foreign counterterrorism efforts such as Exercise Flintlock. It opens by describing Flintlock, a long-running U.S.-backed training exercise in Ivory Coast that brings together African special forces, police, and Western military advisers. The exercise is presented as a symbol of American-led multilateralism at a time when Washington is reducing its commitments to Africa and tensions with Western allies are increasing. Against that backdrop, the article argues that the security situation in Mali and the Sahel is deteriorating. Jihadist militants are exploiting weak governance, regional instability, and limited external support to expand their influence. The piece suggests that the counterterrorism model represented by Flintlock is struggling to keep pace with the changing threat. Rather than showing a region being stabilized, the training exercise highlights the gap between the scale of the jihadist challenge and the capacity of regional and Western partners to contain it. Overall, the article portrays a sobering picture: international security cooperation remains active on paper and in training camps, but on the ground the militants are still advancing. Mali becomes the clearest example of how jihadism is spreading in the Sahel, raising doubts about whether existing counterterrorism efforts are sufficient to reverse the trend.

This Economist Middle East & Africa roundup highlights a region under multiple, overlapping crises, with particular emphasis on Iran and its spillover effects across the Gulf. The lead item argues that a prolonged standoff over Iran could cause lasting economic damage to Gulf states if no deal is reached by the end of the summer. Several related pieces examine the strategic and diplomatic deadlock: Iranian leaders are divided over whether negotiation with the United States is worthwhile; Donald Trump’s rhetoric about peace and reopening the Strait of Hormuz faces the reality of an unresolved uranium issue and a continued stalemate; and Iran is reportedly shifting pressure toward the UAE. The package also broadens to Africa, where insecurity and economic change are major themes. An article on Mali describes the expanding power of jihadist groups in the Sahel, while another explores an American-led counter-terrorism training effort. A separate exclusive on Congo says the M23 militia is trying to pitch critical minerals to Trump, despite clear weaknesses. Other pieces cover Hizbullah’s diminished aura in Lebanon, the bleak situation in Gaza, the relative lack of sympathy among Arab rulers for Iran, and a more hopeful but complex story about African fintechs seeking to transform cross-border payments. Overall, the page presents a region marked by stalemate, insecurity, and shifting power dynamics, with only limited signs of resolution.