ACLED

Where is Islamic State activity concentrated today? A notable shift is taking place in the global terrorism landscape. Recent trends show a sharp decline in Islamic State activity across #Iraq, #Syria, and Afghanistan/Pakistan compared to previous years. At the same time, nearly 75% of attacks recorded last month were attributed to a single branch operating in sub-Saharan Africa — ISWAP in northeastern #Nigeria. Understanding where threats evolve matters just as much as understanding where they began. Join Barry Marston and the wider expert panel for more insights like this in the full webinar. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/diNUXAXc

Exactly five years after the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Mohammed Shekau, violence between Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province continues — and clashes against military forces are escalating. Violence in the Lake Chad region rose notably in the first quarter of 2026 on both the #Cameroon and #Nigeria sides of the border. Ongoing clashes between the two groups have also not kept them from conducting concurrent attacks on cities like #Maiduguri, in Nigeria’s #Borno state.

How is infighting within the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reshaping the war in #Sudan? The recent defections of two senior RSF commanders to the Sudanese army (SAF) expose growing fractures within the group’s core alliances. While the SAF will actively exploit these fractures to launch new offensives in North Darfur, continued foreign patronage and local grievances threaten to transform the war into a broader cross-border conflict. ACLED data show that infighting among RSF allies has been rising since the group consolidated control over #Darfur in October 2025, following a previous peak in June after the #RSF lost control of the central region in early 2025.

#Drone strikes by armed groups have surged across #Colombia, opening a dangerous new front in the country’s decades-long conflict and leaving civilians increasingly exposed. The Guardian draws on #ACLED data showing that drone attacks rose from one recorded event in 2023 to 38 in 2024 and 149 in 2025. Hospitals, schools, police stations, electricity grids, and homes have all been struck, with injuries now numbering in the hundreds. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d4hYurep

Global jihadism threatens #Africa like no other region on earth. #ACLED records that 86% of all IS activity was concentrated on the African continent in the first quarter of 2026 — up from 49% in 2024 and 79% in 2025. Over the past four years, African jihadist groups have become more involved in violence across the board, increasingly targeting civilians and stretching state capacities. Our latest report explores how this threat is expanding across the continent, tracing how key groups are expanding territorial control, targeting civilians, disrupting infrastructure, and embedding themselves in transnational smuggling, weapons, and ideological networks. Explore the full report: https://lnkd.in/eRrMFS55

Since the US-imposed blockade on fuel imports to Cuba in January, blackouts have become more frequent with some outages lasting for days. On Wednesday, the energy minister announced that Cuba’s oil reserves had been depleted, prompting hundreds of residents to demonstrate in Havana to demand access to electricity. As the situation deteriorates, further unrest in the coming weeks remains likely as Cuba negotiates with the US. ACLED’s Sandra Pellegrini breaks down the latest demonstrations in #Cuba amid ongoing blackouts: https://lnkd.in/erZSHAzC

Security threats in the #Sahel are no longer just persistent; they are evolving in scale, coordination, and ambition. ACLED’s latest webinar breaks down the recent surge in militant activity across #Mali, where coordinated offensives have placed significant pressure on the government in #Bamako. From the recapture of key northern territories to the strategic move of declaring a blockade, these actions signal a shift from localized attacks to more complex, high-impact operations. The takeaway is clear: the security landscape in the Central Sahel and coastal West Africa is becoming more volatile, interconnected, and harder to contain, demanding a more nuanced and coordinated response. Watch the full webinar here: https://lnkd.in/ewhft7j7

Up to 100 Islamic State #Mozambique (ISM) militants have been active in southern Cabo Delgado since around 20 April, posing risks to civilian communities and mining operations in the area. After spending several days at the Ravia artisanal gold mining site in Meluco district, militants moved south to the Muaja site in Ancuabe district, where their arrival prompted miners and others to flee. The group later captured up to 80 miners and held them for ransom of 50,000 meticais each. The militants then moved further south to Minheuene village, where they burned a Catholic church, a small school, and church housing. There were no fatalities, as most of the population had fled, but the group has since reportedly split into two, sparking further displacement near mining sites and the N1 highway to Pemba. Explore the latest Islamist activity update in Mozambique: https://lnkd.in/espJyCWP

Africa is increasingly becoming the world's most active place for #jihadist activity. Across the #Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, #Somalia, and #Mozambique, jihadist groups are expanding their reach, carrying out more attacks on civilians and state forces, and using more advanced tactics and technology. What were once local insurgencies are now evolving into wider transnational networks capable of destabilizing governments and economies far beyond Africa. Clashes between jihadist groups and state forces rose 42% between 2024 and 2025, showing both stronger counterterrorism efforts and militants’ growing focus on confronting African governments directly. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eRrMFS55 

As pressure continues to build around Keir Starmer’s leadership this weekend, much of the focus is on what comes next for the government. #ACLED data tells the story of what has happened since 2024. Anti-immigration and far-right protest activity across the #UK has risen sharply over the past two years, reaching levels significantly higher than those recorded under previous governments. The graph below tracks how that activity evolved — and the political flashpoints and public tensions that contributed to a new level of unrest across the country.