14/03/2026
Dear Colleagues,
Militant insurgencies in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regularly dictate the operational tempo of battles with national armies through surprise attacks, rapid mobility, and outmaneuvering of government forces. This has resulted in heavy civilian and military casualties and the loss of territory.
In our latest Africa Security Brief, “Revitalizing Integrated Tactical Units to Combat West Africa’s Irregular Militant Groups,” General (Ret.) Dr. Fatai Alli calls for revamping the operational force structures of West African militaries—optimizing the integration of mobility, ISR, and decentralized logistical support capabilities—to regain the initiative and more effectively combat irregular militant forces.
I hope you find the analysis a useful resource.
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As always, I welcome your feedback.
Joseph Siegle, Ph.D.
Director of Research
Africa Center for Strategic Studies
National Defense University
Washington, D.C.