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Seven African countries are among the 10 nations recording the highest number of terrorism-related deaths globally, according to a new report by the US House Committee on Homeland Security.
The committee also said Africa has emerged as the world’s most active terrorism theatre, with more than two-thirds of Islamic State (ISIS) global activity now taking place on the continent.
The findings were contained in a report released on Thursday ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.
Titled “25th Anniversary Report: National Security Improvements and the Domestic Threat Landscape 25 Years After 9/11/01,” the report examined developments in US homeland security since the attacks and assessed emerging threats facing the country.
According to the committee, the increasing concentration of jihadist activities in Africa presents a major strategic challenge, particularly as US and partner resources remain limited and intelligence coverage across the continent is uneven.
“The shift of jihadist activity toward Africa presents a strategic dilemma,” the committee said.
It noted that the continent’s growing terrorism burden had become more significant as extremist groups expanded their activities across several countries.
The report also highlighted changes in the nature of terrorism, including the growing threat posed by lone actors and individuals inspired by extremist ideologies.
The committee said the trend requires security agencies to move beyond an organisation-centred counterterrorism approach towards one focused more closely on identifying and preventing individual behaviour.
It further warned that the overlap between terrorism and cyber capabilities was creating new security challenges that traditional counterterrorism measures may not adequately address.
Beyond terrorism, the report identified sophisticated cyber operations by nation states as another major threat to US national security.
The committee said hostile states were increasingly conducting sustained cyber campaigns using resources and capabilities comparable to those of intelligence and military organisations.
It added that artificial intelligence was rapidly changing the cybersecurity landscape, offering defenders tools for detecting abnormal activities, identifying vulnerabilities and analysing large volumes of security information.
However, the report warned that the same technology could be exploited by malicious actors.
On border security, the committee raised concerns about terrorist organisations, transnational criminal groups and human-smuggling networks exploiting modern communications, financial technology and encryption tools to conceal their activities.
It also said some criminal organisations had shifted portions of their operations towards the US-Canada border following improvements in security along the US-Mexico border.
The committee made 23 recommendations covering areas including intelligence sharing, counterterrorism, aviation security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, border protection, emergency preparedness and biodefence.
It called for stronger cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, improved awareness of emerging terrorist tactics and organisations, enhanced northern border security and wider implementation of biometric entry and exit systems.
Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino said the US had made significant progress in strengthening national security since the 9/11 attacks but stressed that continued vigilance would be necessary as threats evolve.
The report comes as the United States prepares to commemorate 25 years since the September 11 attacks, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
