Conflicts and military interventions in North and West Africa

Chapter 1 highlights the increasing complexity of conflict in North and West Africa. It shows that the geography of conflict is obscured by a large number of belligerents and their divergent political strategies. While violence is on the increase, it remains unclear whether violent organisations are intensifying their efforts in particular localities, spreading insecurity to a growing number of regions, or relocating under the pressure of government forces. The new Spatial Conflict Dynamics indicator (SCDi) introduced in this chapter contributes to address these pressing questions by examining both the intensity and spatial distribution of political violence in the region since 1997. It shows that violence is increasingly targeting civilians and border regions. The indicator also suggests that foreign and multinational interventions have reduced the intensity of violence in North and West Africa in the short-term without, however, resulting in a durable peace.