What's behind the upsurge in violence in the Sahel? | Inside Story

The crisis in West Africa's Sahel Region appears to be getting worse. At a meeting on Monday, the UN Security Council expressed alarm over the recent increase in violence and called on governments to provide more help. There are already thousands of French, UN and African troops in the region... Yet despite this, the Sahel's vast area that runs between five countries, has seen a sharp rise in attacks by ISIL and Al Qaeda linked armed groups. Hundreds of people have been killed and many more forced to seek safety in camps. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have suffered some of the worst attacks against their militaries - including an attack last week that killed 71 soldiers from Niger. Regional leaders have also held meetings this week - appealing for greater international help. So how can the international community secure the Sahel?