China, Russia Exploiting Terrorist Unrest in Africa

‘What happens in Africa will not stay in Africa,’ said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).

Supporters of Niger's National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland wave Russian flags as they demonstrate in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 6, 2023. AFP via Getty Images

Terrorist groups are spreading rapidly throughout Africa and are likely to target Western nations in the near future, according to one member of Congress.

The continued influence of the groups is also inadvertently ceding the region to China and Russia, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) said during a Dec. 12 talk at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) think tank.