The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) released a new report today, Civilian
Counterterrorism Forces and the Fight Against Extremism – A Review of Nigeria,
Somalia, and Burkina Faso. Local terrorist affiliates of al-Qaeda and ISIS have
subjected sub-Saharan countries to decades-long insurgencies, necessitating
alternative counterterrorism strategies to offset unrelenting violence. The
report, authored by CEP research analyst Riza Kumar, analyzes the effectiveness
of civilian-led forces to supplement each nation’s counterterrorism strategies.





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New CEP Report: Civilian Counterterrorism Forces And The Fight Against
Extremism – A Review Of Nigeria, Somalia, And Burkina Faso



(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) released a new report
<[link removed]> today, Civilian
Counterterrorism Forces and the Fight Against Extremism – A Review of Nigeria,
Somalia, and Burkina Faso.Local terrorist affiliates of al-Qaeda
<[link removed]> and ISIS
<[link removed]> have subjected sub-Saharan
countries to decades-long insurgencies, necessitating alternative
counterterrorism strategies to offset unrelenting violence. The report,
authored by CEP research analyst Riza Kumar, analyzes the effectiveness of
civilian-led forces to supplement each nation’s counterterrorism strategies.



The report finds that incorporating civilian militias into national
counterterrorism programs provides short-term benefits at the cost of long-term
risks. On the one hand, local militias are cost-effective, quick to assemble,
and knowledgeable of the communities they protect. However, due to a lack of
structure and inconsistent training, civilian troops can be unreliable,
personally motivated, and ultimately undermine government authority.



In 2013, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) was established in Borno State,
Nigeria <[link removed]>, in direct
response to the insurgency waged byBoko Haram
<[link removed]>, and ultimately, Islamic
State West African Province (ISWAP).



While the CJTF gained support from local communities through shared language
and communal ties, the CJTF has also faced allegations of sexual harassment,
exploitation, abuse, intimidation of civilians, and extortion of humanitarian
aid. Furthermore, despite the initial success against Boko Haram, the terror
group and its splinter group ISWAP have proved resilient and have intimidated
communities from cooperating with the CJTF through reprisal attacks.



In Somalia <[link removed]>, al-Qaeda’s
well-resourced affiliateal-Shabaab
<[link removed]> is the country's most
significant threat to stability. The Macawisley or Ma'awisley, are civilian
militias comprised primarily of local farmers, who first emerged in 2014 but
later regrouped in 2022 to supplement the Somali National Army (SNA) after the
national force failed to effectively defend civilians from al-Shabaab.
Nonetheless, the government has not provided the militias with sufficient
support or oversight. The SNA is also not always privy to the Macawisley’s
operations, leaving room for civilian forces to carry out campaigns motivated
by personal vendettas rather than counterterrorism motives.



For Burkina Faso <[link removed]>,
Ansarul Islam, the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nasrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin
(JNIM) in Mali, and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) have waged a
multipronged insurgency since 2015. Civilian militias, formalized under the
Volunteer for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) in early 2020 mobilized
effectively to protect their communities from attacks. However, close to a
hundred thousand VDP members are currently deployed and not subject to
consistent monitoring, resulting in inadequate preparation, corruption, and
human rights abuses throughout their ranks.



Overall, the report finds that civilian militias can provide a successful
short-term solution to insurgencies but are rife with challenges in the long
term. CEP recommends implementing accountability mechanisms to hold the CJTF
responsible in Nigeria, providing condition-based government support to the
Macawisley in Somalia, and encouraging the Burkinabe government to develop
proper reintegration mechanisms for almost 100,000 VDP troops who will be
hesitant to give up their status as they return to civilian life.



To read CEP’s report Civilian Counterterrorism Forces and the Fight Against
Extremism,please click here
<[link removed]>.



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