Saudi Arabia Transformations and the expansion of rebels groups in the region

Date & time : Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Abstract

The most important transformation of the regional system in the first half of 2015 is the expansion of the boundaries of the Middle East beyond the traditional ranges, where the boundaries between the region and sub-Saharan Africa, and between the Arabian Gulf region and the geographical vicinity of Asia have become apparent.

The cross-border activities of some terrorist organizations confirm that the border between the Middle East and the geographical vicinity is no longer significant, especially following the offensive by the Mujahideen Youth Movement in Somalia against the University of Kenyan Garissa in retaliation for the Government participating in countering terrorism in Somalia, Which killed 148 people, similar to the network of alliances between the Movement for the Liberation of Azouad in Mali and the organization of blood signatories in the border areas between Mali and Morocco.

Four circles that pose a major geographical threat to the regional security of the Middle East can be referred to as a result of the escalation of cross-border terrorist activities and armed militias and the transfer of the effects of civil strife in these geographical areas to the Middle East region.

These geographical constituencies are

West Africa is considered one of the most unstable regions in the world, especially in Nigeria, where the Boko Haram terrorist movement is active and in northern Mali, movements such as Tuaregs, the National Liberation Movement of Azouad, Ansar al-Din and the Unification and Jihad Movement are active.
Second, the Horn of Africa, especially Somalia, which is fertile ground for the spread of such new players. The Somali youth movement is the most prominent movement in the Horn of Africa, which has carried out many terrorist operations inside Somalia and neighboring countries, especially Kenya, in addition to the piracy that began in 2005, after the emergence of this movement by one year, carried out by the movement in the Pacific.
South Asia as in India, many insurgent groups, such as the Naxalite Movement, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the armed wing of the People’s Liberation Army, as well as the Islamic Student Movement in India, and the Movement of the Mujahideen of India are active and seek to change the government through popular wars. In Pakistan, many groups, are active in Pakistan, as are armed wings of religious groups in Pakistan suspected of involvement in several major terrorist attacks, most notably the 2006 Mumbai train bombings.
Central Asia and the Caucasus, one of the most affected areas of the world, is not only close to the global terror centers of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also has a rugged geographical area that is a safe haven for such groups and is active by many violent fundamentalist groups, fundamentalist groups closely linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban . This is in addition to many fundamentalist movements in Bosnia, Chechnya and Dagestan.

This requires the countries of the Middle East not to adopt traditional policies in dealing with non-traditional risks, which makes it more important to establish a unified and rapidly deployable Arab forces to confront these new players to counter the integration of armed groups in the Middle East and their counterparts on the borders of the region. Which will lead to existential threats to many countries, in addition to the spread of arms and drugs and the detonation of civil wars and the breach of borders.

Saudi reforms

Saudi Arabia has suffered from terrorism and its crimes, and it has suffered losses from the lives of its people and youth, but it has faced with determination and strength, patience and determination, defeating and winning it, and has become a model for studying and experimenting by States in the fight against terrorism.

Saudi Arabia, in its long war with terrorism, has taken parallel efforts and plans not only on the security side, but also accompanied by intellectual, social and awareness projects, as well as committees that support, contain and care for those who have been victimized by extremist groups. Of the effects of this phenomenon and eliminate it.

The main axes adopted by the Kingdom in the fight against terrorism on five important axes

– Refuting their intellectual arguments.

– besieging the outlets of preaching their ideas.

– Drain the sources of recruitment to followers and close their sources in funding.

– Disassemble their existing networks by initiating proactive pre-emptive processes to abort their active and dormant cells.

– Human containment

Saudi Arabia has developed a new policy towards Iran. The first skirmishes took place in Yemen only three months after King Salman’s coronation – and one month before the signing of the Nuclear Framework Agreement.

In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against Shi’ite-inspired Shi’ite rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, who had invaded the interim capital of Aden a week before the air strikes and pushed Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile.

This is not the first time that the Saudis have taken part in military operations against the Huthis. Riyadh has deployed troops to fight the Houthis in 2009-2010.

The current Saudi interest in the African Sahel region, after Saudi Arabia’s announcement to contribute to the financing of the military force of the G5 coast group, includes: Mauritania, Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso – several questions about the motives of this Saudi interest in the region, in the circle of interest in Riyadh.

The weakness of the economies of the countries of the region has increased the Saudi intervention to fill the void caused by the cancellation of the state’s economic and social intervention, which has encouraged the presence of many Gulf charitable organizations and organizations – especially Saudi Arabia – in the region.

Riyadh financed many development projects and the construction of many infrastructure in the countries of the region, including large Islamic facilities such as the King Faisal Mosque in the city of N’Djamena, which amounted to about 16 million dollars, and the King Faisal Mosque in Bamako, which cost about seven million dollars.

Saudi activity in the Sahel region – and Africa in general – from the religious sphere to diplomatic and strategic attention expanded through Twitter, following the rise of Shiism in Africa and the strong presence of Iran as a new international actor on the African.

Saudi Arabia has pledged $ 100 million and the United Arab Emirates $ 30 million to the joint force of the Sahel, which is fighting jihadist groups in Mali and neighboring countries. During a meeting near Paris to boost international mobilization around the five Sahel countries, as attacks by jihadi groups in the region are increasing.

*Political Studies Unit

References