(This Oct. 24 story has been corrected to make clear that Atimpe is a researcher on stopping violent extremism, not an professional on extremist teams, in paragraph 25)
By David Lewis and Maxwell Akalaare Adombila
NAIROBI/ACCRA (Reuters) –
Islamist militants preventing in Burkina Faso are discreetly utilizing Ghana’s north as a logistical and medical rear base to maintain their insurgency, seven sources instructed Reuters, a transfer that would assist them increase their footprint in West Africa.
The sources, who embody Ghanaian safety officers and regional diplomats, mentioned Ghanaian authorities seemed to be largely turning a blind eye to the insurgents crossing over from neighbouring Burkina Faso to top off on meals, gasoline and even explosives, in addition to getting injured fighters handled in hospital.
However they mentioned that method, whereas up to now sparing Ghana from the sort of lethal Islamist assaults which have plagued its neighbours, dangers permitting militants to place down roots within the nation and recruit in some marginalised native communities.
Ghana shares a 600 km (372 mile) border with Burkina Faso, the nation on the coronary heart of an insurgency that has killed 1000’s, displaced tens of millions and, in line with some specialists, turned the Sahel area into the epicentre of world terrorism as factions loyal to al Qaeda and Islamic State increase their presence.
Burkina Faso has misplaced management of over half its territory as a pro-al Qaeda group referred to as JNIM gained floor. A JNIM chief this week instructed French broadcaster RFI that it was aiming to push into Ghana, Togo and Benin.
Not like Benin and Togo, Ghana has not suffered a serious assault.
Boniface Gambila Adagbila, Ghana’s ambassador to Burkina Faso, instructed Reuters the militants have been profiting from porous borders and noticed Ghana as a “safe haven”, however denied solutions that the authorities had de-facto struck a non-aggression pact with the jihadists. He mentioned Ghana was working with Burkina Faso to “flush them out”.
AVOIDING DISTURBANCE TO SUPPLY LINES
Ghana, which holds elections on Dec. 7, is seen as a powerful democracy and has a detailed relationship with Western nations, particularly the UK and the U.S., which commonly reward it for its function in selling peace and safety within the area.
“The absence of real attacks on Ghanaian soil seems to result from JNIM’s calculus of not disturbing supply lines and places of rest as well as not provoking a relatively strong army,” Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute of Worldwide Relations, mentioned in a report.
The organisation mentioned Ghana was tackling the risk in quite a few methods, together with joint operations with neighbours.
“Yet, to avoid escalation it also appears to have accepted de facto non-aggression with JNIM,” Clingendael mentioned, citing high-ranking authorities sources, who mentioned that disrupting the availability networks risked scary violence.
A senior Ghanaian safety official instructed Reuters that militants do use Ghana as a rear base for launching assaults elsewhere and likewise in search of medical therapy.
Nevertheless, the official, who requested to not be named as a result of sensitivity of the problem, mentioned they have been monitored and generally used as informants. There have been additionally circumstances of militants being handed over to Burkinabe authorities.
“We’ve arrested a lot of terrorists in the past and handed them over to Burkina,” the official mentioned, including that Accra most well-liked to deal with the circumstances discretely.
Ghana’s Info Ministry declined to remark.
After they first emerged in West Africa 20 years in the past, Islamist militants, primarily then from Algeria, operated in northern Mali and the federal government on the time adopted an off-the-cuff non-aggression pact: Bamako helped negotiate freedom for Westerners kidnapped by the militants who, in return, didn’t perform assaults in Mali.
As violence unfold following a jihadi offensive in Mali in 2012, officers in Burkina Faso and Niger tried, at numerous occasions, related preparations. All of them collapsed because the insurgency gained power or governments fell.
Anger at heavy losses in clashes with militants has triggered coups in all three international locations since 2020. Juntas that seized energy have all expelled Western army help and turned to Russia for assist as a substitute.
Western nations have since refocused sources on efforts to shore up the northern areas of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast, which border the Sahel.
ACTIVE IN GHANA
Ghana is a centrepiece of that pivot to the coast.
When requested why the militants had up to now shunned attacking Ghanaian targets, the Ghanaian official mentioned: “You won’t destroy where you sleep, would you?”
Clingendael mentioned that of the 40 incidents recorded in Ghana since 2015 that have been suspected of being linked to violent extremist teams, solely two concerned precise violence. The remainder concerned forces transferring by means of territory, attempting to recruit fighters, selecting up provides or in search of refuge.
“Violent extremists are indeed active in Ghana,” it mentioned.
Arms specialists have, within the latest years, traced explosive prices and detonator cords utilized in bombs focusing on U.N. and authorities troops in Mali again to mining operations in Ghana, in line with a U.N. report seen by Reuters.
Aaron Atimpe, a researcher on stopping violent extremism, mentioned militants crossing into Ghana have been recruiting amongst native communities. “It is not just an area where they can rest and get supplies. In the process people are being radicalised and recruited.”
