Islamist activity in the Sahara in relation to travel security

[Knight of the Holy Graal]

Originally Posted by priffe

After destroying the tombs in TB2 the salafists are now reportedly busy destroying rock art in SW Libya, since God don't like it
Libye : Les salafistes wahhabites libyens détruisent un site de 12.000 ans d’âge | Algérie 1

Ignorant bastards!!!!!

[priffe]

Possible presence of US, French and Alg troops in south Libya
U.S. Special Forces ‘sent on Libya mission’ | World | Ammon News

[priffe]

For the first time since independence (?) Algerian troops are fighting on foreign soil. 5000 men engaged in SW Libya. In cooperation with French troops watching the Chadian border, and Americans in Niger and 500-800 stationed in Spain. Impressive forces purportedly lined up with the possible goal of securing the Libyan desert (Ghadames, Ghat, Ubari, Sebha....), but really only one source for this story so far.

Libye : L’Algérie a commencé les opérations commando - A la une - El Watan
U.S. Special Forces ‘sent on Libya mission’ | Henry Jackson Society

[andrasz]

El Watan is usually well informed, while their stories on occasion may have a touch of added spice, they are mostly based on factual information. With the buildup of French forces in N. Chad and the stories filtering out from S. Libya, this was to be expected for some time...

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Chris Scott

If true that leaves four Europeans still in captivity, presumably in north Mali.
Serge Lazarevic, one of the 'geologists' snatched in November 2011 at Hombori, and the Dutch, Swedish and a South African/Brit) taken from Timbuktu a day later.

Kidnappings | Sahara Overland

In 2 weeks from now, these guys will have been hostage for 1000 days

[Richard Washington]

We all know that N.Mali is difficult at the moment and has been so for several years.

Its no surprise then that kidnappings and strife continue in the region. However there are elements to a recent report involving the kidnapping of a Taureg man by AQ linked insurgents that are worth noting here. First, the Taureg (and four other Tauregs) were thought to be providing intelligence to the French military and second, the Taureg was beheaded. The latter detail echoes events elsewhere in other trouble spots but one which hasn't been a feature of Saharan troubles.

Tuareg man decapitated in Mali | News24

[priffe]

A game changer, these beheadings-for-propaganda?
Makes me worry about the four travellers still kept hostage. One Swede, one Brit/SA, one Dutchman, and one French. Also makes me less eager to go anywhere in Algeria or eastern Mali.
The bearded guys still need the ransom money, don't they?

[Whiskey]

@priffe: if MBM is now sponsored by ISIS oil money from Syria, than kidnapped fellow travelers future is sadly uncertain.

[GreatMigration]

Hi all,

Considering the current unrest coming from IS. Is this affecting Mauritania as well??
Am about to overland to Senegal and than further on, but started to get a bit worried regarding the threats.
Any word on the ground?

Thanks, safe travels!

[Richard Washington]

Welcome to the forum GM.
There is no evidence that I know of that the latest IS related issues have emerged in Mauritania. If you go back a few years, AQIM were active there but two fundamental things happened:
1) The Mauri military clamped down hard
2) The AQIM head quarters in N.Mali was attacked by conventional French led forces (2012).
As a result, AQIM had little freedom to move in Mauri and had their hands-full in N Mali. We suspect they mostly de-camped to S.Libya (possibly also N.Niger) .

As I understand things, the main AQIM related (loosely used) insurgents that are still in N.Mali or are in S.Libya (or N.Niger) have yet to formally link with IS though the beheading in N.Mali over the last week reported elsewhere on STF is an ominous sign that they are thinking that way.

For now, Mauri is one of the very few Saharan countries that is in reasonable shape for travel.

[GreatMigration]

Thanks Richard, that's of great help!
I think, we'll just go for it and keep our eyes and ears open.

[priffe]

The Forgotten Three: The Fate of AQIM Timbuktu Hostages and Their Captor Belkacem Zouadi | TRAC

[Richard Washington]

French forces have reported intercepting an AQIM convoy in Niger travelling from Libya to Mali:
BBC News - Al-Qaeda convoy en route to Mali 'destroyed' by French

The report is vague on any details but confirms that AQIM are in Libya, Niger and Mali (still). Reports of arms being transported from Libya to Mali date to 2011.

It is also clear that French forces monitor the traffic through Niger which makes that region risky for travel regardless of AQIM as overlanders might not be identified as such (not that there are any out there at the moment).

[priffe]

The French are setting up a base in Madama, northern Niger, near the Libyan border.
French troops edge closer to Libya border to cut off Islamists | Reuters

[Richard Washington]

This is the location of the military base at Madama:
21°56'42.82"N
13°38'47.21"E

It is east of the Djado Plateau on on the piste from Libya to Niger.
See description from others passing through (including gvdaa) when the Marlboro piste was once a possibility:
Sahara Overland ~ the book and online resource