Islamic State, Al-Qaeda Threat 'Significantly Degraded' In North Africa- Pentagon Watchdog

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2020) Violent extremist organizations (VEO) in North Africa have been significantly degraded and currently pose minimal threat to the United States' interests in the region, the US Defense Department's Inspector General said in a report.

"In North Africa, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and ISIS-Libya did not conduct any known attacks this quarter. Both VEO are significantly degraded and currently pose no threat to the US and a minimal threat to US interests in the region," a press release summarizing the report said on Wednesday.

In Libya, ceasefires between the UN-backed Government of National Accord and the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army held during the quarter, and both parties participated in UN-sponsored peace talks, the release said.

In East Africa, however, al-Shabab continued attacks as US forces to revised plans to transition security responsibility to Somalia, because Somali forces fell short of development "milestones," the release added.

In West Africa, terrorist groups were neither degraded nor contained during the quarter and continued expanding in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, according to the release.