Terrorists Use Food as a Weapon: How Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab Exploit Hunger

Terrorist groups Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab in Africa have been using food as a tool to sustain their activities, challenge national authorities, and increase their followers. They target food security conditions, particularly in areas with historical frictions between local communities and government authorities. By providing food supplies and denying it to others, these groups aim to control communities, confront counter-terrorism forces, and push the state out of contested areas. As a result, humanitarian conditions have worsened, local economies have weakened, and displacement flows have intensified.

Key Takeaways:

Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab have targeted food security conditions in areas with historical frictions between local communities and government authorities.
The groups have used food as a tool to challenge national authorities, increase their followers, and control communities.
By providing food supplies and denying it to others, these groups aim to confront counter-terrorism forces and push the state out of contested areas.
The use of food as a weapon has had major repercussions in Borno State and southern Somalia, causing the deterioration of food security over the last 15 years.
Attacks on food resources and infrastructure have disrupted supply routes, pushed people to abandon their crops and pastures, and decreased the production and availability of essential goods.
Humanitarian conditions have worsened, local economies have weakened, and displacement flows have intensified.
Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab have become victims of the emergencies they have helped generate, struggling to supply nourishment for their troops and supporters.
The groups have intensified raids on villages, looting goods and livestock, but growing frictions with the population have undermined their operational capabilities.
African and international authorities need to tackle the dynamics of food weaponisation and refine their approach to enhance local resilience, addressing the inequalities exploited by insurgents.

Statistics:

In the last 15 years, Borno State and southern Somalia have witnessed a deterioration of food security, with attacks on food resources and infrastructure disrupting supply routes and causing humanitarian conditions to worsen.
Humanitarian aid efforts have been hampered by the groups' tactics of blocking food imports and aid distribution, leaving communities vulnerable to malnutrition and starvation.
Defections from Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab have increased due to unsustainable conditions, with reports of jihadists surrendering to security forces while requesting food.
The groups' reliance on food as a weapon has led to a decrease in their operational capabilities, with many militants struggling to access basic necessities like food and shelter.
The relocation of Boko Haram's operations to the Lake Chad area and the mobilisation of communities against Al-Shabaab have not eradicated the terrorist threat, but highlight the importance of addressing food security issues in countering insurgencies.

Sources:

The Conversation -- Africa -- By Simone Papale, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Parma
"Terrorists use food as a weapon: how Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab exploit hunger" by Simone Papale
"How crime is closely linked to Al-Shabaab's survival strategy" by Simone Papale
"What drives Al-Shabaab in Somalia: foreign forces out, Sharia law in and overthrow the government" by Simone Papale