Report - About the Small Arms Survey - OUT OF CONTROL - The Trafficking of Improvised Explosive

A publication of the Small Arms Survey, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Out of Control: The Trafficking of Improvised Explosive Device Components and Commercial Explosives in West Africa OUT OF CONTROL The Trafficking of Improvised Explosive Device Components and Commercial Explosives in West Africa A publication of the Sma. [...] The next four sections explore the back- ground to, and dynamics of, IED use in the states under study (Section II); the types of IEDs used and IED components documented in West Africa (Section III); sources and dynamics of trafficking in IED components (Section IV); and the regulatory gaps and policy implications identified during the research project (Section V). [...] The groups behind these attacks include the IS in the Greater Sahara, in northern Tillabéri, and the confederation of al-Qaeda affiliates, known as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, in south-western Tillabéri (Pavlik et al., 2021). [...] As indicated by interviewees, these sites included areas of high use, such as those in the districts of Bebemta and Sala, in the subprefecture of Doko; areas of low use, as in the Niagassola district; and areas of probable use, such as in Kintinian and Siguiri (Sow, 2021). [...] Out of the countries covered by the study, Mali has been the most heavily affected country in terms of the number of IED incidents and the duration of the current crisis; however, there have been few ‘innovations’ in terms of the techniques, tactics, and procedures observed since 2013.