Artisanal gold mines in West Africa’s Sahel zone have become a source of financing and recruits for Islamist militants in the region as they secure sites or levy illicit taxes, according to the International Crisis Group. “The main jihadist groups in the Sahel benefit financially from gold extraction – an activity that they consider lawful – in their areas of influence,” the Brussels-based advocacy group said in a report. “They do so in ways that vary from region to region.”
