NAIROBI, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of Islamist militant attacks increased from 317 in 2013 to 1,549 in April in sub-Saharan Africa, an international risk and strategic consulting firm, Control Risks, said in a report released on Wednesday.
The risk consultancy firm said while some of the attacks are inspired by the Islamic State (IS) that loses its grip in its Middle Eastern heartland, the drivers behind this rise in sub-Saharan Africa are more complex.
"The many shades of political and ideological violence and militancy in play across the globe are part of a complex picture of risk and opportunity facing businesses and organizations," said the consultancy firm.
In the report, Changing Patterns in Terrorism and the Threat to Business, Control Risks says Somalia, which witnessed 879 incidents over the period, accounted for over half of the Islamist militant incidents recorded across sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the report, the only other East African country affected during the period was Kenya, with 79 incidents.
The Somalia-based extremist group, al-Shabab have carried out increased terrorist attacks targeting public places, government installations and military bases manned by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
The Somali militants are fighting to overthrow the internationally-recognized government and impose sharia law in the country.
The firm says West Africa accounted for 36 percent of the incidents, Nigeria suffered most (220 incidents), followed by Mali (194) and Cameroon (96).
"Although the total number of Islamist militant attacks in Southern Africa was relatively low - 56 incidents in total; 43 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 12 in Mozambique, 1 in South Africa - the rise in attacks particularly in Mozambique, where the first attack was recorded on October 5, 2017, is concerning," it said.
