Assessing the impact of military interventions on human security in the Sahel: A regional security analysis of spillover effects on Algeria and Libya

This study critically examines the impact of military interventions in the Sahel region on human security, with particular emphasis on their spillover effects on Algeria and Libya. Over the past decade, the Sahel has experienced intensified military engagement by regional and international actors seeking to combat terrorism, organised crime, and state fragility. Despite these efforts, insecurity has persisted and, in some cases, expanded beyond national borders. Adopting a qualitative analytical approach based on secondary data, the study argues that militarised security strategies have generated unintended consequences across multiple dimensions of human security, including forced displacement, socio-economic disruption, and governance fragmentation. It demonstrates that these dynamics have produced significant cross-border spillover effects, reshaping security patterns in North Africa. The analysis conceptualises Algeria as a containment-oriented security actor relying on border militarisation and intelligence coordination, while Libya is examined as a fragmented security space facilitating the diffusion of instability. The study concludes that military interventions alone are insufficient and calls for a comprehensive regional security framework integrating human security into policy design.