| AaS | Ansar al-Sharia |
| ACLED | Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project |
| ADC | Democratic Alliance of 23rd May for Change |
| ADP | Alliance for the Defense of the Homeland |
| AIS | Islamic Salvation Army |
| AQIM | Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb |
| ARLA | Revolutionary Army for the Liberation of the Azawad |
| ASMA | Alliance for Solidarity in Mali |
| CAN | Christian Association of Nigeria |
| CILSS | Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel |
| CJTF | Civilian Joint Task Force |
| CMA | Coordination of Azawad Movements |
| CNID | National Congress for Democratic Initiative |
| DSNA | Dynamic social network analysis |
| ECOMOG | Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group |
| ECOWAS | Economic Community of West African States |
| EUTM Mali | European Union Training Mission in Mali |
| FIS | Islamic Salvation Front |
| FPLA | Popular Liberation Front of Azawad |
| FSA | Free Syrian Army |
| GATIA | Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies |
| GIA | Armed Islamic Group |
| GNA | Government of National Accord |
| GNC | General National Congress |
| GSL | Free Salafist Group |
| GSPC | Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat |
| HCUA | High Council for the Unity of Azawad |
| HoR | House of Representatives |
| IEDs | Improvised Explosive Devices |
| IMA | Islamic Movement of Azawad |
| IRA | Irish Republican Army |
| IS | Islamic State |
| ISGS | Islamic State in the Greater Sahara |
| ISWAP | Islamic State West Africa Province |
| IZALA | Society for the Removal of Innovation and Re-establishment of the Sunna |
| JMC | Joint Military Commission |
| JNIM | Jama‘at Nusrat al-Islam wa-l-Muslimin (Group for Supporting Islam and Muslims) |
| LGAs | Local government areas |
| LNA | Libyan National Army |
| LURD | Liberian United for Reconciliation and Democracy |
| MAA | Arab Movement of Azawad |
| MINURSO | United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara |
| MINUSMA | Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali |
| MNJTF | Multinational Joint Task Force |
| MNLA | National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad |
| MODEL | Movement for Democracy in Liberia |
| MPLA | Peoples Movement for the Liberation of Azawad |
| MSA | Movement for the Salvation of Azawad |
| MSF | Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) |
| MUJAO | Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| NLA | National Liberation Army |
| NMJ | Niger Movement for Justice |
| NPDC | Nigeria Petroleum Development Company |
| NPFL | National Patriotic Front of Liberia |
| NTC | National Transition Council |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| ONUC | United Nations Operation in the Congo |
| PII | Political Independence Index |
| PN | Positive Negative |
| RCD | Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie |
| RUF | Revolutionary United Front |
| SCBR | Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries |
| SDF | Syrian Democratic Forces |
| SNA | Social Network Analysis |
| SRSG | Special Representative of the Secretary-General |
| SWAC | Sahel and West Africa Club |
| UAE | United Arab Emirates |
| UEMOA | West African Economic and Monetary Union |
| ULIMO | United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy |
| UMRDA | Malian Union for the African Democratic Rally |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNAMID | United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur |
| UNAMSIL | United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone |
| UNIFIL | United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon |
| UNMIL | United Nations Mission in Liberia |
| UNOCI | United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire |
| UNOMIL | United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia |
| UNOMSIL | United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone |
| UNSC | United Nations Security Council |
| UNSMIL | United Nations Support Mission in Libya |
| VDP | Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland |
| YPG | People’s Protection Units |
Conflict Networks in North and West Africa
