The situation in Africa's Sahel region continues to be "of serious concern and urgent action is needed", a high-level United Nations official told the Security Council on Wednesday, attributing a rising number of attacks to terrorist armed groups.
Over the past six months, security in many parts of the vast area that runs west to east across the continent from Senegal to Sudan, "has continued to deteriorate", said Bintou Keita, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, noting a surge in militancy against security forces and civilians and of "violent incidents pitting members of various communities against one another".
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