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Belmohktar's brother
Ali Bakari, was killed near Tebessah on October 6 by the Algerian army.
He was involved in the south Algerian kidnappings of 2003, and then again in the kidnappings of two austrians in Tunisia 2008, and of three Spaniards in Mauretania 2009. L’armée algérienne annonce avoir tué un proche de Belmokhtar - Actualité - El Watan |
Sahel Travel
Has the security situation improved in this area or is it still a no go zone. Things have gone very quiet on the news and one doesn't hear of any fighting. Is normality and governance slowly returning. It seems to be as if different clans control their own territories and one wonders if the signed peace agreement is holding. No news of further abductions and it seems governments are just not prepared to talk. The area needs tourists and travellers to boost their economy.
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If you mean Sahel as opposed to Sahara it seems fine to me south of Nioro/ maybe Mopti and Gao and as far north as Agadez. Lake Chad is very no-go.
I think the lack of tourist abductions is simply attributable to a lack of tourists (oil workers and other resident expats are a new target) and the news from here is quiet because things are unfortunately worse elsewhere. Didn't Ag Ghali crop up the other day with something to say? |
There are only two hostages still held in the Sahara afaik, one Swede and one Brit/SA.
Soon they have been held four years. Kidnappings may be less tempting when payday is not only uncertain but also far off in the future. With the events in Paris tonight we may see even more involvement by the French against jihadists, they should now have zero tolerance with lethal goofballs like Ag Ghaly. |
Reuters: Gunman attack Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako/Mali an take more than 100 hostages - http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...TgELyK5fwDO.97
New work for French army. |
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Blue beret forces are still in Mali I note. The Danish national, current commander of the UN mission, is not optimistic. World's most dangerous peacekeeping mission - BBC News |
4 years!
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Swiss national kidnapped for the second time
Beatrce Stockly, previously kidnapped in April 2012, has been kidnapped again in Timbuktu.
A few more details here: Swiss woman abducted from Mali 2nd time | News24 In 2012 she was only held for about 10 days. |
Another MBM attack. This time on a hotel in Burkina Faso's in Ouagadougou.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35330169 |
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Al Jazeera (Eng) TV reporting showed French troops "assisting" in the resolution of this event. The Splendid Hotel was frequented by "foreigners". There is a pattern, at least in the reporting. Then there are reports that a nearby hotel has also been attacked; ongoing. |
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They caught him not far from Boke.
Escaped Al-Qaeda death row prisoner deported back to Mauritania | Daily Mail Online |
Beatrice Stockly video released by AQIM
PHOTOS, VIDEO: AQIM claim kidnap of Swiss woman Beatrice Stockly, release video - African Spotlight Full video here |
In regards to a previous comment, was in Bamako just before Christmas. Apparently mopti was just about safe but the road leading to it had IED's all over the place.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Interesting sounding film on this topic
Les Salafistes http://gu.com/p/4g9hq/stw |
AQIM claim responsibility for kidnapping Australian couple in Burkina
AQIM have claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the elderly Australian medics from Burkina reported 3 weeks ago on this thread by DTH.
There is also talk of releasing one of them, namely Jocelyn Elliot. Al-Qaeda claims kidnap of Australians | News24 |
Algeria's former prominence in North African terrorism is slowly vaning, after years of pursuit by the Algerian army. Of the 30 emirs/founders of GSPC (that later evolved into AQIM) in 1990 only 11 are still around. And they are loosing recruits to Daesh.
AQMI perd ses effectifs algériens - Actualité - El Watan Although several leaders and members are of Mauretanian nationality, Mauretania has been remarkably calm since 2011. Meanwhile cells are being formed in south of Mali, in Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina. French are warning of more attacks like we have seen in Ouagadougou. France Said to Warn Senegal, Ivory Coast of Terror Attack - Bloomberg Business http://intellivoire.net/wp-content/u...e-d-ivoire.jpg At least five attacks have been attempted in Cote d'Ivoire over the last year. Foreigners and places they frequent are the targets. Terrorisme : la Côte d'Ivoire en état de vigilance maximum - JeuneAfrique.com Libya is becoming a new center of terrorism with the rise of Daesh in coastal Sirte, and a plethora of groups around the country La Libye, nouveau terrain de jeu du terrorisme - International - El Watan The situation in Timbuktu https://maghrebandsahel.wordpress.co...timbuktu-mali/ One novelty for the Algerians is how to handle the traffic of Moroccan Daesh recruits headed for Libya. 240 were recently detained at Algiers airport. Perhaps Morocco now have more jihadists than Algeria? http://www.jordantimes.com/news/regi...libya%E2%80%99 So, good news for Algeria and Mauretania. For the rest, not so good. |
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US NGO kidnapped near Agadez
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Canadian and two Italians kidnapped in Ghat, SW Libya have been released. No mention of ransom.
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Background on Ghat events
An interesting analysis here, may even contain elements of truth:
EXCLUSIVE: Italy-Algeria talks, not military intervention, freed foreign captives in Libya | Middle East Eye |
French aid worker kidnapped in Gao
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Colombian nun kidnapped in Mali
Colombian missionary nun kidnapped, this time near Koutiala, between Sikasso and Segou, close to the Burkina border.
Une religieuse catholique colombienne enlevé ;e dans le sud du Mali - RFI Kidnap list |
Thanks for keeping track. No tourists kidnapped for soon five years now. But a number of workers are held somewhere in Mali.
Still no good news about hostages, Swede Gustafsson and SA/Brit McGowan Gift of the Givers Finally Makes Contact with Stephan and Johan's Captors - Gift of the Givers Foundation Things are not looking good in Mali. https://en.qantara.de/sites/default/...?itok=sugv-oMv |
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And now a touareg from Kidal is the chief terrorist in Sahara/Sahel.
Makes one wonder what happened to MBM. Fusion de groupes jihadistes au Sahel, sous la bannière d'Al-Qaïda - JeuneAfrique.com |
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This might seem to be slightly off-topic but really it is not:
https://elijahjm.wordpress.com/2017/...-and-iraq-why/ |
Mali attack: Security forces battle gunmen at Le Campement resort near Bamako
Mali attack: Security forces battle gunmen at Le Campement resort near Bamako | The Independent |
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Attack on Assamaka
Has anybody got any more news on this one?
Four security force officers and one civilian were killed on 23 September, in an attack by unidentified gunmen on the Al'gazna border post near Assamaka. The group of assailants reportedly arrived in four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle before firing at the border post. They subsequently stole a security force vehicle as they fled; search operations are under way. While the identity of the perpetrators and the exact motive for the attack remain unclear, the incident serves as a reminder that Islamist extremists, drug smugglers and bandits are active in Agadez region, a transit hub for the smuggling of people and goods, including drugs and weapons, across the Sahel. |
Lots of bandits around there, although these may have been bearded.
And no tourists, for what - seven years now? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-algeria-50692 http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...h-2010-a-49299 |
Must say it sounds like business as usual in that area, right on the transit between north Mali and Libya.
http://sahelien.com/en/niger-arlit-t...s-in-assamaka/ I wonder if the recent clamp down on human trafficking out of Agadez (still goes on but clandestine and much reduced) has realigned the pressure points. |
Trafficking was big business and the marché de la nuit in Agadez very busy.
Perhaps a little slower now. Then they have stolen cars coming down from Libya. And four years ago someone found gold between Arlit and Assamaka so there were thousands of diggers going that way, building camps en plein desert. |
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:) didn't know of that (a) use of the word so no pun intended.
It is sometimes discussed whether these jihadists, like Mohktar Belmohktar (a.k.a. MBM) are motivated more by religion or more by greed. Is he an emir or a common thug? Both? https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/...belreuters.jpg Speaking of whom, we haven't heard from him for a couple years now. Maybe he is finally dead. L'Expression - Le Quotidien - Mokhtar Belmokhtar est-il vraiment mort? After McGown's release there are six foreigners abducted that I know of still missing none of them tourists -French aid worker Sophie Petronin from Gao, Dec -16 -Swiss nun Beatrice Stockly, TB2 Jan -16, second time abducted -Australian doctor Ken Elliott, a man in his 80s, from Djibo, Burkina Faso -Romanian mine worker Iulian Ghergut, from NE Burkina April -15 -Colombian nun Gloria Argoti, from Karangossa (north of Sikasso), Mali Feb -17 -American aid worker Jeffrey Woodke from Abalak, Niger October -16 France’s Sophie Petronin shown in video among other hostages in Mali - France 24 |
Hello Priffe,
the economic rules in this aera, in my opinion, never changed. Since we (the europeans, arabs, whatever) explored and exploited this part of the world, the business with "us" is part of an old the trade system - this does not matter, if the one-eyed is alive or not - sometimes more efficent, sometimes less since 1850 or (very much longer) before. So what? Ferdi |
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I noted that the recently 're-discovered' footage of Bagnold showed them travelling with bolt action rifles strapped to the sides of their trucks. Not sure these were just for hunting...
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Banditry has always been a problem in the Sahara for sure.
Gordon Laing, the Scotsman who was the first European to have reached Timbuktu was brutally assaulted by tuaregs on his trek from Tripoli across the Tanezrouft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexan...ip_to_Timbuktu Here he describes his travails. Significant Scots - Alexander Gordon Laing "When I write from Timbuctoo, I shall detail precisely how I was betrayed, and nearly murdered in my sleep. In the mean time, I shall acquaint you with the number and nature of my wounds, in all amounting to twenty-four; eighteen of which are exceedingly severe. I have five sabre cuts on the crown of the head, and three on the left temple; all fractures, from which much bone has come away. One on my left cheek, which fractured the jawbone, and has divided the ear, forming a very unsightly wound. One over the right temple, and a dreadful gash on the back of the neck, which slightly scratched the spine. I am nevertheless, as already I have said, doing well, and hope yet to return to England with much important geographical information." Wow. I read in the past that he was murdered after leaving TB2 by his tuareg companion with a sword, shouting "Allahu Akbar!" Which could then have been an early act of jihadism. But there are other versions of what happened. All his papers were lost and we will never know. One of the stories is, in a way that sounds familiar even today, that the French secret service was behind it, and in on it all the way from when he left Tripoli. :huh: |
October 2017: Trouble in Bahariya - formerly tame Western Desert, Egypt.
Suspected Islamist militants kill 50 Egyptian security personnel. More details here: Militants kill Egyptian security forces in desert shoot-out - BBC News |
A few more details emerging:
https://www.madamasr.com/en/2017/10/...-oasis-attack/ The incident happened at an "area adjacent to kilo 135" of the oasis road, which puts it abeam of Fayum and nowhere near Bahariya (which is another 200 kms from there). While all reports suggest ideologically motivated militants to be involved, I would not discount the possibility that the police have stumbled upon 'peaceful' arms smugglers (the location is very close to the convenient Jaghbub - Siwa - Qattara - Fayum sand free corridor) who were just protecting their business interests. The reports speak of the militants attacking 'from a high point the police convoy below', which does not fit the flat topography on either side of the oasis road. I suspect the actual attack happened somewhere along the Jebel Qatrani scarp to the SE of the road, on a track that descends from the high desert into the Fayum depression. |
Andrasz correctly points to the usual lack of clarity surrounding the key details of the 'Western Desert' incident.
It seems wise to remain open minded about many of the details still. Note the following from the source that Andrasz has pointed us to (https://www.madamasr.com/en/2017/10/...asis-attack/): "The facts about the clashes that took place between security forces and armed militants in the Western Desert’s Bahariya Oasis remain unclear due to the scarcity of information, even after the Interior Ministry has issued two statements on the attack 18 hours apart." and, also from the same source: "The clashes broke out in a desert area at a point near the Wahat Road, 135 km from Giza, according to the Interior Ministry’s Friday statement." (my emphasis added). |
Tunisia fights Al-Qaeda
Tunisia kills senior Al-Qaeda member | Daily Mail Online
Is seems that region of Mount Sammama is not the best place to be in Tunisia. According to TheDailyStar Lebanon: "Mount Sammama is in a range of hills that are a favoured hideout of loyalists of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.It is adjacent to Mount Chaambi, considered to be the main rear base of the jihadists near the border with Algeria." 12.03.2017: Policeman killed in south Tunisia ambush | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR |
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Good graphic of the complex alliances and feuds in the Sahel these days as well as the recent escalation of attacks in that region.
Source and more info: https://www.acleddata.com/2018/03/21...r-sahara-isgs/ |
Fascinating graphics and an article which succeeds in distracting all attention away from Algeria. Whatever happened to the alphabet spaghetti acronymic equation so beloved of Keenan: CIA=DRS=AQMI ? USA is a huge player in the Sahara & Sahel with a rapidly mushrooming inventory of hardware and human resources in play. Perhaps it is articles like this and all the other focus on local players, or at least AU, EU, & MINUSMA which succeed in deflecting attention from what Uncle Sam is playing at in the region? The Sahara is certainly no more a wild, open, free playground in which to appreciate Nature and culture.....except possibly RIM.
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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
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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
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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. |
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'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...
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Report about RIM
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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 |
With RPGs but not necessarily a sign of terrorist activity (depending on your definition).
That AQ has left Mauretania alone for five years doesn't mean there isn't anything going on. The other day, a Maure businessman was kidnapped by Sahraouis, and not released until they were paid a ransom by his mother, Mariam Bouchraya who happens to be the mayor of Fderik. http://i.le360.ma/fr/sites/default/f...kidnapping.jpg Presumably some unsavoury business going wrong and someone not being paid. According to POLISARIO «dettes impayées entre commerçants» Kidnapping du fils de la Maire de F’Derick :Les derniers developpements (vidéo) | Adrar Info Quand le Polisario justifie le kidnapping et le rançonnage d’un homme d’affaires mauritanien | www.le360.ma (Moroccan) F’dèrick/ LES Ravisseurs du commerçant ould Levdil localisés à 150 km de Bir Mogrein. – Zouerate Actu |
droning on
Interesting NYT article on the new CIA drone base in Dirkou. Works under different (more opaque) rules than the army one in Agadez.
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One wonders if they are in some form of competition with each other. Different missions, but both with an eye on Libya.
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Meanwhile, in Tunisia...
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As chaos spreads, there's a countermovement in the Sahel and elsewhere, salafists denouncing jihadists and reaching out to sufis.
https://www.themaydan.com/2018/10/em...africa-beyond/ DGSE director Benjolet confirms many of our suspicions regarding Algeria in a new book Bouteflika, Toufik, Belmokhtar, Iyad Ag Ghali and more. Was Jeremy Keenan right all along? B. Bajolet: le chef jihadiste Iyad Ag Ghali «bénéficie de certaines protections» - RFI |
Fyi, I have moved a few posts and created a similar thread to this one for West Africa in the sub-Sahara forum: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-travel-97070
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France claims to have taken out #2 in the Sahara jihad hierarchy
the emir Yahya Abou el Hamame Mali : Paris annonce avoir tué un des principaux chefs djihadistes au Sahel https://twitter.com/menastream north of Tombouctoo |
Quite good news from Algeria, wrt AQIM:
https://ctc.usma.edu/aqim-pleads-relevance-algeria/ Quote:
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Thanks Chris for that, very interesting.
Just hoping we can "soon" go back travelling in Algerian Sahara, but… RR |
A very interesting article about the quality and quantity of weapons awash across parts of Mali and Niger:
https://www.calibreobscura.com/dange...f-iswa-part-2/ |
This came up in one of the Africa FB groups, thought it might be of interest here
https://www.ecfr.eu/mena/sahel_mappi...nHcJGMw2a84uk8 |
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Came across this old NYT article which includes rare video shot by the abductors in 2003.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/w...ing-video.html |
Thanks, interesting, but I'm little surprised that Agadez , Arlit and Diffa are out of Djihadist group's influence according to these maps.
RR. |
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I was thinking - if there was a moment that came to decide the future of tourism in the Sahara, that was it. But Bertrand had it removed. "Originally Posted by Bertrand I really- having tried very hard- cannot see the point of creating a thread containing a video clip said to be 13 years old and containing absolutely no useful traveller information whatsoever- and it is not the first time either..." So we weren't allowed to discuss it. Maybe now when 16 years have passed we can? :rolleyes2: |
Thanks for originally posting.
I sent you a PM suggesting how to do it better next time ;-) Yes, the link to the article is only of historic interest, but for many of us, it marked the beginning of the end of a lifetime's desert travelling in places we knew very well. And if you came close to it and knew some of the people involved (as with me), it has added poignancy. Plus, as the reporter notes, this key event introduced the whole kidnap-for-ransom enterprise in the Sahara which continues today. I just read that a Nigerienne politician (or similar) may have been behind the Abalak abduction in 2016 in a bid to cover the cost of a consignment of his cocaine that went missing in Mali. And, I did not know that the vile Abu Zeid was in on 2003, along with the mysterious El Para. Fyi, the now-prize-winning reporter, Rukmini Callimachi, became well-known for her NYT Caliphate [ISIS] podcast last year. Don't know if I mentioned it here before but a while back I copied some Motorrad (German moto mag) articles from 2004 by Rainer Bracht (who we met two-weeks before he was grabbed with 3 others we also met). He wrote a book on the ordeal (not read it). I see now the original Motorrad files are long gone*, but I copied the Google translations and a few pics into a post which make interesting reading. * Actually, found them again |
An interesting article about Operation Barkhane, with some good pictures:
https://widerimage.reuters.com/story...s-mud-mistrust https://photos.wi.gcs.trstatic.net/e...bE51VPKLteIVDQ |
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Perhaps Rainer was on to something there. |
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Worth adding, I believe this is by far the most viewed thread on the regional forums, and one of the most viewed on the entire HUBB. It tracked the demise of desert travel in the Sahara with many insightful comments and reporting from the ground, spiced with some speculation. Obviously it had something to offer. And the owners should enjoy the traffic, no? But someones feelings was hurt. And then there was the police. |
Hi everybody,
Is there any update on the Italian and Canadian believed to have been taken from Burkina Faso into Mali? It's been quite some time now. https://globalnews.ca/news/5164504/q...faso-minister/ |
One reason Burkina was stable was Compaorés ability to handle and deal with Al Qaeda and other adversaries. His aid since decades (going back all the way to Sankara!) the mauretanian Limam Ould Chafi was instrumental, and himself made millions from the kidnappings.
https://medium.com/@Algerie_Infos/ex...fi-d6658e39e95 Now Compaoré is bored in Abidjan. https://www.theafricareport.com/1693...homesick-blues Chafi is still by his side. Perhaps Burkina will not be stable until Compaoré either returns or is out of business. |
Good articles thanks for sharing Priffe!
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The expected next expansion of islamist groups is into Ghana, CIV, Togo and Benin
https://www.theafricareport.com/1784...s-in-the-sahel |
A long but interesting report about the various groups involved in the gold mining trade across the region. Not sure how accurate it all is but makes for a good read:
https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/s...8994-359971337 |
Burkina speaks up about the leadership of the various terrorist groups:
https://infowakat.net/securite-la-pl...erm=2019-12-18 |
Interesting article here about arms trafficking in West Africa:
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/filea...Connection.pdf |
How do you become a jihadist? Iyad Ag Ghali, the untouchable. A refugee in southern Algeria, especially towards the town of Tinzawaten where he would own a house, the man regularly sailed through the dunes to the town of Abeybara from which he is originally from Mali.
https://www.nordsudjournal.com/comme...-lintouchable/ |
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ma...-idUKKBN2110HN
As we know this has become Sahel more than Sahara issue, but they were released near Kidal. 10 foreigners from 9 countries still in captivity. |
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Were they even kidnapped? They look to be unperturbed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGXAq4eVyyQ |
Urgent / Sahel: two Italian hostages detained in northern Mali give sign of life
https://airinfoagadez.com/2020/04/06...-signe-de-vie/ |
The 2nd Hostage
https://airinfoagadez.com/2020/04/07...ec-pier-luigi/
It appears the second hostage is an Italian, Nicola Chiacchio - a cyclist who went missing in Mali in September 2018, I think it was. I remember putting up or reading an alert here and was quickly told to take it down by another HUBB user as that was how his family wished to play it. Looks like it succeeded. His fate has been unknown until now and I assumed he'd been robbed and was buried in the desert somewhere. I also recall a picture of his yellow recumbent of something similar which would have been a struggle to propel on the sandy piste it was pictured on, let alone the time of year. And heading for Timbuktu seemed nuts, whichever way you looked at it. As the article above explains, he was determined to get there and set off from Douentza, having signed his way past a checkpoint. |
AQIM chief Al-Qaeda chief Abdelmalek Droukdel killed
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Shame he could not have been taken alive. The trial and sentencing would have potential for the forces of good. To kill him is to make him a martyr for the causes of evil. The same with Bin Laden.
Yet, end of an era, insha'Allah his replacement is nothing like as influential or effective, or as good with explosives. All quiet here in Mauri, Zoubir el Inglizi |
Amazing it took 16 years to get him. And perhaps not surprising it was in Mali.
Not much going on in Algeria anymore, jihad-wise. At least not in the open. No attacks, no statements, no videos, nothing. But it was exported to twenty other countries. Enjoy your day in Chinguetti, Zoubir. |
It is amazing. Hard to think it's possible to travel from eastern Alg where they say he hid, all the way down to the Mali border undetected.
Anyone might have thought he was protected in Alg. As long as he made his chaos over the border he was left alone or maybe even helped to do it there. yours sincerely J Keenan |
So somebody gave him up, and the french were waiting for him.
The end of Aqim then, all leaders gone and defeated on Algerian soil. Perhaps Algeria will become the next safe place to go in the Sahara? Some more details https://www.theafricareport.com/2948...illed-in-mali/ |
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I read that earlier but found it failed to live up to its title.
It mentions Abu Zeid's death in 2013 like it was somewhere else. ... in the Adrar des Ifoghas, the mountainous massif in the extreme north-east of Mali. and not just 50km from where Droukdel got caught. Maybe something more detailed will emerge later. You'd think Iyad Ag Ghaly must be top of the list by now. https://www.france24.com/en/20200608...qaeda-is-group Hard to think that Droukdel's death will open up Algeria for tourism as we knew it More detauls: http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-f...dal-21233.html |
Well not just his death but the defeat of Aqim.
The rest is politics. They could open up today if they wanted to. I hear even Kabylie is pretty safe these days. They've had a massive military presence since the poor French bloke lost his head. |
As long as there was no DNA test, I cannot trust the french.
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Quote:
While he was said to be hiding somewhere in eastern Algeria, holed up with his close guard in the dense scrub near the Tunisian border, or sheltered in Libya, Droukdel was shot after he had just crossed the vast Algerian desert to seek refuge in Mali, which has become a sanctuary for Islamist activism. He was hiding on the Chaambi mountains, from Tunisia, he could then easily go to Libya and from there to Mali. I honestly believe he went through Niger where there are american drones, and probably from there the french intelligence with the help of the US got information about his position |
They did DNA testing.
He was found by the Americans using voice recognition. Tipped off the French. Unclear if it was a convoy or just one vehicle. And if a drone was used. https://sahelblog.wordpress.com/2020...oukdel-strike/ https://twitter.com/SimNasr |
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