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Al-Qaeda in North Africa 'kills French hostage'
According to the BBC tonight.
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How could anyone on earth possibly justify the murder of this old man? :( :mad2:
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Direct link to the audio-statement from AQIM:
Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites! - 7 MB Ulrich |
Sarkozy admits to failed raid and confirms death
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Hi all
Now that's the right moment for a large operation in the area. First: the return of the two spanish citizens, at any cost. Second:strong military operations to solve the problem for the next years. After the 11 gendarmes and the french citizen, the is the right moment for a wide operation (except the hot season...) By the way: what do you think, it's easier to find and defect them in summer or in winter? Cheers, Rui |
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Supposedly in the action were also killed nine French soldiers, an Islamist relevant forum said. Quote:
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Failed payment of ransom?
Also according to El Khabar
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Such difficult times and such a sad end for Mr Germaneau. I can't imagine what must be hapenning with the Spanish.
With 9 special force losses on the French side + Mr Germaneau + Mauritanian loses which don't seem to have been declared, it looks like AQIM came off best here. Looks like AQIM were expecting the attack. If the party came into Tessalit by plane, then the whole of NE Mali would have known something was about to happen. Choppers would have been more discreet. Edit...its been pointed out to me that the French special forces loses are not confirmed but instead derive from one source. Looks like the Mauri + French forces went in by vehicle, then on foot for the last 10 km or so. Other reports say 2 AQIM escaped. Must have hit the wrong base. |
Kouchner on tour
Mali wants co-ordinated effort against terrorism: Kouchner < French news | Expatica France ANALYSIS-Raid shows resolve, trouble in fight vs Sahara's Qaeda | News by Country | Reuters Quote:
Now is not the time for any westerner to be near the Mauri-Mali-Niger desert. More analysis from France - Mauri moving against Abu Zeid "Le raid contre Al Qaeda au Maghreb islamique est une premi�re" - L'EXPRESS Germenau executed for publicity and to please Bin Laden Le Figaro - International : �AQMI a besoin de publicit� That the Spaniards are being held by MBM and not Abu Zeid gives some hope Al Qaeda au Sahel d�tient aussi deux otages espagnols - L'EXPRESS |
... So why bristle...
If it's not strategic posturing then I suspect because they resent the French and want to control and dominate the situation (and can probably afford to do so because if not, Libya might) - or, as widely suggested is the case in Mali, some Alg elements may be involved in the game. Reading and discussing with others, one conclusion is that sadly, M. Germaneau died a few weeks ago, as some sources quietly suggest. (About the time of the 15-day deadline, in fact). The French sensed this (suddenly stalled negs, 'no proof of life') and so had nothing to lose by taking direct action (with Mori) and letting the GSPC claim their 'retaliation' after a 'botched rescue bid'. It may even indeed have been a pre-emptive land-based raid just over the Mori border in the Timbuktu region - as claimed - and not east of Tessalit as many of us assumed. Did Kidal forum report Tessalit hearing big jeep- and chopper-laden planes? Don't know, but there was also talk of a second 'distracting' op. Once it's all old news the precedent is set for future French-led ops, although the Spanish are rightly not pleased about it. Neither is Alg with its Tam CC, but the coalition of African nations has so far not been effective, as Wolfram Lacher suggests. We heard the same 'Alg aid to Mali' (the famous 'sleeping bags', etc) some 14 months ago in preparation for decisive action. Things merely got much worse. AFAICT all that's happened with Tam CC is that we're told 11 or so gendarmes in a new border patrol unit got wiped out two weeks ago near Tin Z. Must say I'm not so sure about that one. I also suspect the list of 9 DRSE casualties is merely jihadist propaganda (check out the sources by Googling the names). Otherwise GSPC would be crowing about it from the dune tops with mutilated pics of DRSE, not shots of dead muj brothers. If only for the people who live in the area, one can hope this might be the much anticipated beginning of the end of the GSPC in Mali at least, but it could all be too far gone. Ch All my speculation of course. Links and sources on my website |
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A little more on the Tam command. Is this division of missions practical or merely a desktop construction?
El Watan :: 25 juillet 2010 :: Comité d’état-major de Tamanrasset�*: Une mission plus formelle qu’active Quote:
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"According to Mauritanian television, the Mauritanian security authorities have identified the body of the terrorist Bilal among the terrorists eliminated following the military operation conducted by the Franco-Mauritanian forces in which seven French soldiers were also killed.
Bilal El-Djazaïri was one of the pillars of the organization in the Sahel, the right arm of Hamadou Abada, alias « Abdelhamid Abou Zeid » and an expert on desert trails and surrounding areas." Ennahar Online - Bilal El-Djazaïri, Abu Zeid’s right arm, eliminated in Mali |
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