Follow-Up Q&A: Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State: Competition or Cooperation in Western Sahel?

In response to viewers from our previous Live Briefing (al-Qaeda and the Islamic State: Competition or Cooperation in Western Sahel), ICCT Senior Research Fellow Julie Coleman has answered some viewer questions in this follow-up Q&A:

Timestamps can be found in the video for answers to the following questions:

• 0:06 - From where does ISGS acquire funds, resources and equipment?
• 2:12 - How does the group acquire weapons?
• 3:18 - How does the group gain support and recruits?
• 5:00 - What can be said about the relative power distribution among constituent groups within Jama'at Nusra al islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)
• 8:06 - In terms of the threat it poses to Western Countries, is ISGS more or less dangerous than ISIS?
• 10:27 - What role does ideology play in individuals' engagement in violent extremist groups in the Sahel, as compared to the Middle East for instance?