Latest ICCT commentary: Containing al Qaeda in Africa

The Arab Spring was remarkable for many reasons but one feature particularly worth noting was the absence of al Qaeda throughout the uprisings. In recent years commentators have begun to suggest that Africa will be the next haven for al Qaeda, with al Shabaab, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram all having affiliations with al Qaeda in varying degrees. Those in the counter terrorism field will be monitoring these alliances closely, seeking to understand how great the threat from al Qaeda in Africa may be, how deep these alliances run and where the incentives and ideologies overlap.