Drones are changing conflicts around the world, and terrorist groups are among their eager users. Africa is no exception to this trend. Rueben Dass of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore examines how different African terrorist groups have used drones, arguing that they are primarily for surveillance and propaganda for now, but that their use may broaden in the years to come.

Daniel Byman

Since the fall of the Islamic State’s last stronghold in Baghouz, Syria, in March 2019, the epicenter of jihadi terrorism has shifted from the Middle East to Africa. As with terrorist groups elsewhere, those in Africa have incorporated innovative technologies into their operations. These groups are increasingly using drones on and off the battlefield, creating a new dimension of the threat in the region.

What Are Terrorists Doing with Drones?

Terrorist use of drones can be divided into two categories: active-offensive uses (for example, to deliver explosives to a target) and passive-defensive (for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and filming propaganda). In Africa, terrorist use of drones has been passive-defensive. The types of drones used by terrorist groups in most cases are either unclear or unreported, but evidence from propaganda footage and other sources suggests these tend to be commercial quadcopters.

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)

In 2020, al-Shabaab used drones to record and coordinate an attack on a U.S. military base in Manda, Kenya. U.S. government officials have confirmed that al-Shabaab uses drones in their operations, and the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) noted a “prolific use” of drones by the group. In May 2020, Ahlu-Sunnah wal Ja’maa (ASWJ), an Islamic State affiliate in Mozambique, used drones to identify targets in the Mocimboa de Praia attacks. The following year, ASWJ used drones again for ISR in its attack on Palma. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has also used drones for ISR to aid in their attacks. In July 2022, in the town of Gubio, Nigeria, ISWAP used a surveillance drone to survey the location of a Nigerian military convoy before ambushing them. A month later, Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS) also carried out a drone-assisted attack on security forces in Mali.