Consider the following statements: **Statement-I:** There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. **Statement-II:** There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Answer: A. Both statements are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I. Statement-I: There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. CORRECT. The Sahel (Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan and adjacent areas) faces severe instability from jihadist insurgencies (JNIM, ISGS, Boko Haram), inter-communal violence, climate stress and weak governance. Statement-II: There have been military coups in several Sahel countries recently. CORRECT. Mali (August 2020, May 2021), Burkina Faso (January and September 2022), Niger (July 2023) all experienced military takeovers. Sudan also had a coup in October 2021. The wave of coups (II) is BOTH a symptom and a cause of the worsening security situation (I). Military regimes have struggled to contain insurgencies, often expelling Western forces and turning to Russia/Wagner mercenaries. So II explains I in the causal chain. Source: UNHCR / Council on Foreign Relations / Africa Center for Strategic Studies.