A high-ranking U.S. military official warned on Thursday that terrorist organizations in Africa are increasing their capabilities to launch attacks within the United States.

Gen. Michael Langley, the commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), described the Sahel region as a “flashpoint” of ongoing conflict and instability, and the “epicenter of terrorism” globally.

Several terror groups have grown significantly in the past three years. Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has tripled in size since 2022, spreading across Mali, Burkina Faso, and parts of Niger, from which French forces withdrew last year.

Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, has quadrupled in size since 2022, primarily expanding in Burkina Faso.

“We are closely monitoring this situation because they could potentially attack our homeland,” Langley told reporters.

“During my travels across Africa and through discussions at this conference, my peers share my concerns,” he added. “A key goal for terrorists now is gaining access to the west coast of Africa. Access to the coastline would allow them to diversify revenue streams, evolve tactics, and more easily export terrorism to American shores.”

He pointed out that these groups engage in illegal activities such as smuggling, human trafficking, and arms trading to fund their operations and destabilize the region.

U.S. forces recently conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab in Somalia, a country plagued by decades of attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, including ISIS and al-Shabab.

The U.S. is competing with China and Russia to build influence and trust with African governments, aiming to protect their citizens from terror groups.

Langley expressed growing concern over the increasing number of African soldiers attending military training in Beijing, mirroring the U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.

“They are trying to emulate our successful IMET program,” Langley stated. “They have also announced plans to increase security and training in several countries, attempting to replicate our efforts.”