Sahel

American  

[suh-heyl, -heel] / səˈheɪl, -ˈhil /

noun

1. the arid area on the S flank of the Sahara desert that stretches across six countries from Senegal to Chad.

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Other Word Forms

• Sahelian adjective

Example Sentences

A shriek broke the dawn on the savannah, followed by more screeches and the rustle of branches: The wild Fongoli chimps were bidding each other good morning in the dry, scraggly Sahel.

From Barron's

Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have formed the Alliance of Sahel States, have announced the establishment of a joint force of 5,000 troops, and their three armies jointly conduct operations against jihadists.

From Barron's

Lakurawa established a foothold in the border region a few years ago and hails from areas north of Nigeria in the Sahel.

From BBC

The US and Nigerian government said after last month's airstrikes that the militants were linked to IS groups in the Sahel - although IS has not linked itself to any of the group's activities or announced ties to Lakurawa as it has done with other groups in the region that it backs.

From BBC

Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus programme.

From Barron's