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Traditional counter-terrorism approaches, with their emphasis on the military, are failing. This is seen in the fact that there is an average of three terrorist attacks per day in Africa. This study calls for more holistic solutions, with an emphasis on development and better governance to curb the scourge of terrorism.

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1. Chapter One: Understanding the Terrorist Threat in Africa and the Limitations of the Current Counterterrorist Paradigm 2. Islam in Africa 3. Al Shabaab in Somalia: Between Clan and Faith 4. Ansar Dine in Mali: Between Tuareg Nationalism and Islamism 5. Nigeria´s Boko Haram: Contesting Ethnic, Religious and Regional Identities 6. Responding to Terror: An Assessment of African Union Counterterrorism Strategies 7. Responding to Terror: An Assessment of US Counterterrorism Strategies in Africa 8. Conclusion

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"Solomon sets outs to examine the causes of Islamist terrorism and the failures of counter-terrorism policy in Africa - focusing specifically on Al Shabaab in Somalia, Ansar Dine in Malia, and Boko Haram in Nigeria. ... The book distinguishes itself from the critical terrorism literature by offering extensive policy prescription throughout the book. ... the book´s valuable contribution is to map out how ethnicity and state-society relations shape the efficacy and limitations of military measures in Africa." (African Affairs, Vol. 117 (466), January, 2018)

"This timely, brief, but pricey comparative study of three contemporary cases investigates the roots of Islamist terrorism in Africa; its irruptions in Somalia, Mali and Nigeria; and the counterterrorism strategies of the African Union (AU) and the US. ... Recommended for university libraries; collections supporting programs in international relations, security studies, Africa, and Islam; and larger public library systems. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (J. P. Smaldone, Choice, Vol. 53 (7), March, 2016)

"Solomon accomplishes what he set out to do by laying out a useful theoretical framework for exploring the evolving nature of domestic terrorism and the challenges it poses to African governments and by providing critical assessments of AU and American counter-terrorism approaches along with concrete proposals for improving their effectiveness." (Stephen A. Emerson, E-International Relations, e-ir.info, February, 2016)

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Hussein Solomon is Senior Professor in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State, South Africa, and a Senior Research Associate of the Israeli-based Research for the Study of Islam and Muslims in Africa (RIMA). He is also a Senior Analyst for the American-based think tank WikiStrat.

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