General Michael Langley, the leader of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), has expressed concerns that terror groups in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, are enhancing their capabilities to launch attacks on the U.S. He reported significant growth in groups like Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which have expanded their operations in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Langley emphasized the urgency for U.S. engagement in Africa to counter these threats and noted the increasing influence of China and Russia in the region.