One Ghanaian national among arrested Islamic State-Libya terrorists

The Ghanaian national is among 30 foreigners who form part of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – Libya (ISIL-Libya) members who were recently arrested by security officials.

The other foreigners were from Eritrea, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, and Sudan.

The 29th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Al-Qaeda, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities submitted to the UN Security Council Committee revealed that “most Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Qaida affiliates have continued to advance in Africa. In West Africa, in particular, in the Sahel, those groups have successfully exploited local grievances and weak governance to command growing numbers of followers and resources, notwithstanding internal divisions and rivalries.”

The report stated that “Members of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – Libya (ISIL-Libya) (QDe.165) are also present in the Fazzan region, but the group is estimated to have been degraded to approximately 50 fighters, located mainly between Sabha, Murzuq and Umm al-Aranib. A recent arrest led to the identification of a further 30 foreign fighters from Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, the Niger, Senegal, and Sudan.”

In July last year, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Minister of Information, revealed that terrorist groups operating with the West African sub-region are recruiting some Ghanaians to aid their cause.

According to him, the activities along the borders of Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast are being heightened in recent times due to the killing of some civilians, adding that, the government of Ghana is beefing up security along the country’s borders to prevent any possible attacks.

“Terrorism and piracy are some of our biggest security threats today around West Africa. If you look at the numbers and how close, it is getting home…

“And the fact that now we have reason to believe that some recruitments have gone on here in Ghana, participating in the West Africa terrorism enterprise, there is a lot more that needs to be done,” he said.

Source: Pulse