The Africa Union’s (A.U.) Commissioner for Peace and Security has said African countries needed to prepare for the return of about 6,000 Islamic State (IS) combatants from former strongholds of Iraq and Syria. Smail Chergui, whiles addressing a meeting in Algeria said countries needed to work more closely in the area of intelligence sharing and other security arrangements in order to counter the returning insurgents.

“There are reports of 6,000 African fighters among the 30,000 foreign elements who joined this terrorist group in the Middle East,” Chergui told a meeting in Algiers, according to the Algeria Press Service news agency.

“The return of these elements to Africa poses a serious threat to our national security and stability and requires specific treatment and intense cooperation between African countries,” he said.