{"id":38628,"date":"2018-02-13T20:33:54","date_gmt":"2018-02-13T20:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/13\/terrorism-challenges-in-africa-take-back-seat-to-other-threats\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:51:26","slug":"terrorism-challenges-in-africa-take-back-seat-to-other-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/02\/13\/terrorism-challenges-in-africa-take-back-seat-to-other-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Terrorism challenges in Africa take back seat in U.S. to other threats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Despite increasing activity<\/a> by the Islamic State and other terror organizations on the African continent, and an expanding mission for U.S. service members deployed there, AFRICOM is likely to remain under-resourced for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence regarding the most worrisome worldwide threats, representatives of U.S. intelligence agencies agreed their top concerns are the ongoing cyber attacks<\/a> from U.S. adversaries; a potential great powers conflict with Russia or China<\/a>; and the need to counter North Korea\u2019s nuclear ambitions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those concerns align with the National Defense Strategy<\/a> that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis unveiled earlier this month, and the 2019 budget request<\/a> released Monday at the Pentagon. And while that approach does not abandon Africa, it does push resources toward what the Pentagon and intelligence community view as the more existential threats<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have entered a period that can best be described as a race for technological superiority against our adversaries, who seek to sow division in the United States and weaken U.S. leadership,\u201d Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told committee members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justified as that focus may be, the U.S. risks losing ground in Africa, where approximately 6,000 troops are deployed in training, advisory and counter-terrorism roles with partnered forces across the continent. Those forces have worked to counter new cells of Islamic State and other terrorist group-affiliated fighters taking hold in across Northern Africa. U.S. airstrikes have targeted al-Shabab militants in Somalia and targeted Islamic State militants in Libya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for many Americans, the October ambush<\/a> by Islamic State-affiliated fighters in Niger that killed four soldiers was startling. The incident not only revealed the extent of U.S. involvement on the continent but also led to public discussion of the support they are receiving,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the attack, U.S. forces there have changed how they go out on missions. The attack also highlighted the lack of dedicated casualty evacuation air assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\t