Evidence of illegal arms flows from Europe to Africa surfaced in early 2023. These illict weapons are now not just in the hands of major terror groups, but also relatively small ones that justify their use for self-defense. What consequences does this trend hold for the region and can these weapons reach the Maghreb? Experts give Sputnik the facts.
The flow of arms smuggled from Europe to Africa is already leaving its mark: terrorist attacks in Central and Southern Africa jumped 50% in 2022 compared to previous years, and increased by 20% in West Africa. Most of the illegal weapons are stored in the Lake Chad Basin and the Central Sahel region.
