Complicated enough. And shifting every day. Look how they write: "fighting whom"- "depends on circumstances".

Is your point that the US involvement you're referring to will originate from Algeria? Or that there is already ongoing conflict involving the US in Algeria?

Wolfman, the US has a base at Tam', the drone base at Agadez in Niger, they train the special forces of most of these countries, and have been involved with Algeria and the Sahara - Sahel for some time. It doesn't tend to be considered newsworthy for Western consumption, and they try desperately hard not to suffer the kind of cock-up they recently had in northern Niger losing personnel in a horrible and public manner. What their big game long-term plan is, is open to conjecture, and as secretive as they can be the conjecture can be imaginative. For my three ha'pence worth, I see it as simply keeping China out, and exploiting the natural resources, insecurity and a military presence helps that, throw in a few bearded baddies for good measure helps too. Same old..... I mean, really, every time there is a kick-off in the UK the HMGovt enacts more officious, controlling legislation, it is the nature of power and in Africa it is far less subtle or accountable. We just want to see rock art, enjoy culture, do voluntary work, self-drive, whatever, but there is no point pretending there are not other folks around on different agendas who can make life a PITA!
That said, to the extent to which RIM is safe may have a lot to do with the behind the scenes US involvement, and figure this: go west of Mauri' and what is the next country you come to? Do they have boats? ;) ;) ;)

German aid worker kidnapped in western Niger
 

Southeast of the Labbezanga (according to link details, not map below) and close to the border with Mali.
Not an area where many tourists travelled, even in the good years.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ni...-idUKKBN1HI39L

What on Earth was he doing there? About 70 kms from Tongo Tongo, where four US soldiers and 16 nigeriens were killed last October.
Working for this NGO
Mali north and east of Sevaré, Burkina north of Ouagadougou and Niger north and east of Niamey is totally off limits for travellers at this time.
Note that there are no tourists sitting hostage in the Sahara anymore.

What he was doing there? I do not know. Some Dutch NGO's are still working in the Dogon in Mali. I think they should not go there any longer. I spoke to a Dutch guy who just came back. He complained the media are much to negative about security in Mali. This kind of stubbornness is dangerous, I think

If they stay in one place for a period of time, they become targets. In the worst areas, like on the the Niger/Mali border where the German was taken, there is a great risk even if you are only on a short visit.
The US troops were only there on a patrol and getting out when they were attacked.

'MCIED': a newish thing.
One of many used on the attack of Timbuktu airport last week.

There are whole jihadi groups or 'katibas' mounted on bikes now.
Explains why a moto tourist got turned away from Djenne/Mopti? area a few weeks back.

Also, more bad news from the Sahel by Margaux Pinaud @ ACLED
https://www.acleddata.com/2018/04/17...view-africa-9/

Minusma's page https://minusma.unmissions.org/attaque-de-tombouctou

Infographie : les organisations jihadistes gagnent du terrain au Mali – JeuneAfrique.com

G5 are proposing 5000 troops to combat terrorism in the Sahara/Sahel but they probably can't succeed without engaging the local population http://www.jeuneafrique.com/552759/p...es-etrangeres/

BBC News Feature on Saharan counter-insurgency
 

Some familiar background on the counter-insurgency in the Sahara in this BBC feature:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources..._in_the_desert

with some additional bits and pieces, including the building of a large US base in Agadez and some basics on JNIM, Islamic State, Ansarul Islam and Boko Haram. There are also several platitudes such as "Climate change is driving the Sahara south and reducing the fertile land" which makes you question all the rest. If anything, it has become wetter in the Sahel over the last 20 years.

As they teach in Journalism 101, never let the facts get in the way of a good story...

Report about RIM
 

https://ctc.usma.edu/renewed-jihadi-...at-mauritania/

You can skim down to the conclusion.

So he is writing mostly in the past tense, and there is a lot of speculation. Referring to "rumours in Nouakchott". :)
Ten years ago, there was a recruitment center in Boutilimit as mentioned in the article, the first city you pass on Route d'Espoir going east from Nouakchott. That is no more, and while there certainly are young people attracted to jihad in Mauretania, they don't make much noise anymore, like they did seven eight years ago when Mujao was formed by Mauretanians and many of the leading jihadists came from RiM.
Now there is more active recruitment elsewhere, like in Kaolack in Senegal.

Maure media have had good connections with AQIM and other groups for a long time. They still do, and often they will be among the first to report what happens.
What has changed now is that the incompetent Malian leader of G5 general Didier Dacko was replaced in July by Mauretanian deputy chief of staff General Hanena Ould Sidi. So a Mauretanian is now leading the fight against jihadists in Sahara and Sahel.
I would say the huge difference in training of Maure military and gendarmes that is apparent to anyone who regularly visits the country is the reason why the country is quiet now, and that tourists have started to return.

If the Maure government have been paying tens of millions of euros in a deal with AQ that would be contrary to their official policy of never paying ransoms. But who knows.

So here is my three ha'pence worth, and I am sat in Mauri' as I type. I find thes articles so tedious and wonder if the author has ever spent time here and discussed the subject with local Mauritanian? Or for that matter visited,say, Northern Mali and discussed the problems with the locals there? Somehow I doubt it. It just smacks of 2+2=5, or if I throw enough speculation and conjecture at the wall some of it may stick and later I can say I told you so therefore I am a brilliant journalist or fantastic academic. Merde!
Regardless of historic regions, current national boundaries, or the rigour of the madrassa if Mauri' were targeted the bearded baddies could easily lose their media conduits. Pretty simple for NKT to close media outlets. And plenty of suitable targets elsewhere.
Sure, there is the Presidential election scheduled for next year, ad the local elections next month. Yes, we could have a new President - I expect it to be Ishmael and for Abdelaziz to "do a Putin" or similar - but this elite will seek to protect their business interests, the peace and prosperity. That's my conjecture ;)
One thing the article seriously fails to emphasise is the extent to which security here is so well underpinned by the West, making it possible for one to move around more freely, unlike almost every other Saharan country at present.
An aspect of the article which I suggest is "over-egged" is all the Mauri' personnel connections as I am sure the same could said for, say, Algeria from El Para in 2003 onwards thru' Droukdel to MBM.
In conclusion; for this type of article I find more heat than light, I pray only that folk may throw sand or water on any dying embers of unrest not petrol, insha'Allah.
Rather warm today; about 43C but thankfully the thunder, lightning, duststorm and rain of yesterday have abated, possibly slightly too calm, we could do with a fresh breeze!
Salaam
Zoubir el Inglizi

First such event I've heard of in Mauritania for ages.

"...Unknown gunmen attacked (including by the use of RPGs) a Mauritanian army patrol in the northernmost Tiris Zemmour Region, two assailants killed and two soldiers wounded, according to reports[/I]"

https://www.skynewsarabia.com/middle-east/1172373

https://africa.liveuamap.com/en/2018...d-including-by