Senegalese police flee from a mob pelting them with rocks, leaving a fallen comrade in the street. As they withdraw to their vehicles, one of the rioters grabs a large chunk of masonry and bashes the fallen man.

The unrest is the work of supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was sentenced to jail after being convicted of immoral behavior towards individuals younger than twenty-one. Protesters took to the streets, and in subsequent clashes nine individuals were killed. As of Friday, June 2, violent protests continue in Dakar.

The footage is more than a glimpse of brutal mob violence, but an example of overwhelmed and underequipped government forces attempting to maintain control of a volatile situation. Many African nations lack the equipment and training to properly maintain security, or the efforts of police and military forces are plagued by corruption. Countries on the brink of chaos are prime targets for geo-political scavengers such as Russia’s Wagner group, which has exploited instability to gain a foothold in Central African Republic, where they trade security services for mining concessions, as well as Libya, Mali, Sudan, Chad, and Mozambique. Could Senegal be next?