Islamic insurgency in the Sahel as the root of mass displacement in Burkina Faso

Abstract

The Islamic State’s emergence in the Sahel region has triggered violence resulting in a large-scale refugee crisis. This paper focuses on the instability and refugee situation in Burkina Faso, which has received less attention than other Sahel countries such as Mali and Nigeria. In academic debates, IS-instigated terrorism tends to be examined as a multi-layered conflict with non-religious reasons in the background. However, religion is a key factor fueling terrorist activity in the Sahel region and determining its outcome, as the idea of creating an Islamic State or caliphate is inherently religious in nature. Islamic insurgents target all non-compliant community members and Christians in particular.