ISIS elements' displacement raises Algerian, African states'

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), along with the European Union in Brussels, will discuss, on Tuesday, the issue of the displacement of extremists from the stronghold of ISIS in Mosul to the Sahel region. This issue is a source of great concern to the leaders of African countries, including Algeria, whose border is witnessing a state of tension due to the deteriorating security situation in Libya and a number of neighboring countries such Mali and Niger.

The Peace and Security Commissioner of the African Union, Ismail Sharqi, revealed at the end of last year that there is a strong threat to the Sahel and Algeria, especially after the escape of 2500 fighters from ISIS organization, currently stationed in Sudan coming from various hotbeds of tension along the lines of Syria, Iraq and Yemen. He warned in the same context of the alliance between extremist organizations and criminal gangs, both those that are active in the smuggling of drugs and weapons or human trafficking.

This issue was discussed during the meeting, which was held on Saturday, between Chairman of the ECOWAS, Massil Dasouza, and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
The Chairman of ECOWAS said that he reviewed with the Mauritanian President the situation in the Sahel and how to protect it from the possibility of the displacement of extremists from the Iraqi city of Mosul through Syria to Libya. "The extremists are now struggling to carry out this task and take Malian city of Kidal as their destination," he said.

Dasouza said that he discussed with the Mauritanian president ways to respond quickly and effectively to these risks. They also discussed means of coordination between ECOWAS, Mauritania and the United Nations in Sahal.

For his part, the Mauritanian President, in a press statement, said that the Libyan crisis has given impetus to the movement of terrorism in the Sahel and Sahara. He stressed the ability of the countries of the region to meet their responsibilities to provide security.

The increase in illegal immigrants from African countries to Algeria became a major concern of the Algerian military institution.
According to the Algerian Army magazine, that the state of security chaos and stability, witnessed by a number of neighboring countries like Libya and Mali, significantly contributes to the flow of arms, and this poses a major security threat to the Sahel countries.
 The magazine raised the issue of brokers of arms, who strive to create a new corridor crossing extends from Libya to Mali and to the other Sahel states, after the process was previously limited to a number of West African countries or from the east, taking advantage of the lawlessness in number from the vicinity of the country.
 Algeria is facing serious security challenges in the geographical borders with neighboring countries, which have always been a source of regional terrorism and organized crime, particularly in Libya and Mali, which are considered an integral part of the strategic depth of Algeria.