Also known as: ISIS · Islamic State group · Islamic State affiliates · Islamic State in the Greater Sahara · ISGS · the so-called Islamic State
Militant organization conducting operations in Somalia and Niger; targeted by US drone strikes and military cooperation with regional forces.
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The Namibian
Islamic State had up to 800 fighters in Somalia as of June 2025
“In June 2025, the UN estimated that the Islamic State group had up to 800 fighters in Somalia, more than half of them foreign.”
‘We will go wherever they hide': Rooting out IS in SomaliaNew Era
Islamic State (ISIS) was targeted by US air strikes on 25 December in Tangaza district
“Muslim-majority Sokoto was the site of surprise US air strikes on 25 December, which Nigerian authorities said targeted "two major Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves" in the state's Tangaza district.”
Nigerian Muslims look to Ramadan for peaceNew Era
Islamic State group were allegedly linked to militants targeted by US strikes in Sokoto state
“In late December, the United States launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the Islamic State group in the northwestern Sokoto state.”
Nigeria police admit worshippers kidnappedThe Namibian
The Islamic State is targeted by international coalition Syria is joining
“Syria will join the international coalition to combat the Islamic State group, marking a shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East, a senior Trump administration official has confirmed.”
Syria to join US-led coalition to defeat IS group after Trump meetingThe Namibian
Islamic State group has killed about 1,600 civilians in Niger since the coup
“About 1,600 civilians have been killed by Islamic State (IS) group fighters in Niger since the coup, HRW says, citing figures collected by the conflict monitoring group Acled.”
Jihadists ‘summarily executed' 127 people in Niger, says rights groupThe Namibian
Islamic State mounted assault on Yazidi homeland in northern Iraq in August 2014
“Jamila, who asked not to be identified by her last name, is one of thousands of women from the Yazidi minority religion who were kidnapped and raped by IS after it mounted an assault on the Yazidi homeland in northern Iraq in August 2014.”
For Yazidis, Islamic State leader's death ‘doesn't feel like justice yet'The Namibian
Islamic State overran large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014
“Islamic State overran large swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014 only to be beaten back in 2017.”
Baghdadi Leaves A Bitter Legacy In Terrorised CityThe Namibian
Islamic State ruled over Raqqa after rebels opposed to Assad
“He has remained in his city since early in the war even as its rulers shifted from rebels opposed to president Bashar al Assad's rule to Islamic State militants and then to Kurdish fighters.”
Fleeing Syrians Face Tough Choices As War Map ShiftsThe Namibian
Islamic State crossed the border into a mountainside village in northern Iraq
“The book recounts how Islamic State crossed the border into their mountainside village in northern Iraq, killing the men, recruiting the boys, and taking women and girls to slave markets in Raqqa.”
How women are breaking through the noise on SyriaRussian forces have confirmed withdrawal from the northern Mali city of Kidal following coordinated weekend attacks by separatist and Islamist groups. The Azawad Liberation Front claimed control of the city and said the Russian troops agreed to a permanent withdrawal.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Russian forces have confirmed withdrawal from the northern Mali city of Kidal following coordinated weekend attacks by separatist and Islamist groups. The Azawad Liberation Front claimed control of the city and said the Russian troops agreed to a permanent withdrawal.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Mali's defence minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near Bamako as part of a wave of coordinated attacks by jihadist militants and separatists across the country. The attack, launched by militants affiliated with al-Qaeda, also killed at least three of Camara's family members, and the head of the military junta was moved to a safe location after his home was targeted.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Mali's defence minister Sadio Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing on his residence near Bamako, part of a wave of coordinated attacks by jihadist militants and separatists across the country. The attack, claimed by al-Qaeda-affiliated militants, also killed at least three of Camara's family members.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Ghana and the European Union signed their first formal defence partnership agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence sharing and crisis response, as coastal West African nations seek to prevent spillover of violence from the Sahel region. The deal includes a 50 million euro support package with communication systems, boats, drones and other equipment to bolster Ghana's security capacity.
26 March 2026 · New Era →
Somalia's Puntland Defence Forces, supported by US drone strikes and intelligence, are conducting sustained military operations against Islamic State fighters entrenched in the al-Miskad mountains. Though IS-Somalia's local threat capacity has diminished, the group remains a resilient organisation and continues to serve as a hub supporting Islamic State affiliates across Africa and beyond.
16 March 2026 · The Namibian →
In Nigeria's Sokoto state, Muslims are preparing for Ramadan and hoping for peace following US air strikes on December 25 targeting Islamic State militants. Residents say the strikes were unprecedented for the region and are cautiously optimistic that the holy month will mark the beginning of lasting peace.
17 February 2026 · New Era →
The United States will send 200 troops to Nigeria to provide training and technical support in the fight against jihadist groups, supplementing a smaller existing team. The deployment, expected within weeks, will help Nigerian forces coordinate operations involving air strikes and ground troops simultaneously.
12 February 2026 · New Era →
Gunmen attacked two villages in Nigeria's Kwara state, killing dozens according to authorities and rights groups, with death tolls ranging from 35 to over 170 as reported by different sources. The attacks coincide with Nigeria's defence minister confirming a small team of US troops is in the country for intelligence support and training.
5 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Trump administration is signalling a new approach to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—military-run states that have expelled France and turned to Russia for defence support. The US is prioritizing security cooperation and counter-terrorism over previous concerns about democracy and human rights, and aims to balance Russian influence in the region through intelligence and weapons support.
2 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The US military is increasing materiel deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria to counter Islamic State-linked militants, according to Africom's deputy commander, as part of broader American efforts to work with African militaries. The cooperation includes recent joint strikes and focus on intelligence support for Nigerian operations in the northwest and northeast, though analysts question whether air support alone can address armed groups rooted in poverty and state collapse.
27 January 2026 · New Era →
Nigerian police reversed course Tuesday, acknowledging that gunmen had abducted over 100 people from multiple churches in Kaduna state during Sunday mass, after initially denying any kidnapping occurred. The admission came after pressure from Christian leaders and a UN security report, with police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin citing earlier remarks as a "measured response" pending confirmation.
22 January 2026 · New Era →