The most recent incursions by armed groups point to a reinvention of their methods of operation and organization. Extremist violence has ceased to depend solely on territorial occupation, direct attacks, and intimidation of communities, and has also begun to exploit fragile local economies to secure resources, mobility, and operational capacity. In a context marked by a weak state presence, limited oversight, and the expansion of artisanal and illegal mining, the mining sector is increasingly consolidating itself as a space vulnerable to extortion, looting, and economic appropriation by armed actors.
