For nearly ten years, jihadism has grown stronger in the so-called Sahel area, which stretches just south of the Sahara and includes parts of Senegal, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria as well as Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Sudan.
Mass murders, kidnappings and instability have followed in its wake, but despite the efforts of UN troops and special forces from France, it has not been possible to stop the development.
In Mali and Burkina Faso, the discontent has led to repeated military coups, which ultimately led Mali's military regime to seek support from Russian mercenaries in the Wagner group.
That announcement caused France's forces to leave the country.
In November, Sweden also carried out its last operation in Mali and several countries have announced that they will leave the area.
How did jihadism become so strong in the Sahel region?
See the Foreign Office: Terror in the Sahara from 20:00 on SVT Play or 22:00 on SVT2.