Can RPGs be used against helicopters?

The Tuareg from Mali and Niger have used the cheap RPG,s to destroy the hyper expensive Tiger combat helicopters used by their poor Gov's.

However it takes quite some skill and nerve to face, flying close to you, in the open desert, one of those ugly Tiger killing machines with a rather modest, single shot RPG. Just imagine if the rusty RPG jams with the sand. No place to hide.

Tigers helicopters are loaded with thousands of fast 50,s, 30,s rounds, rockets and missiles. An ugly thing to sell to our southern poor neighbors.

RPG,s are cheap and relatively easy to obtain in Sahel area. No so with the Sam rocket toys.

Europe sells lots of very expensive war toys to Africa. I wonder if such a thing can come back to us one day in some ugly way.

Why in the Sahel is it easier --and cheaper-- to buy a "kalash" with two loaded clips, than a good solar panel ????

When a few months a-go two Tigers were destroyed by Tuareg rebels in Niger the Tuareg simply said: "if our poor Gov expends a fortune in those Tigers at least they should learn how to fly them" "Our Gov's should take care of their people"

I remember with certain nostalgia when in this forum we mostly talked about
"wind sand and stars ..." routes and interesting details of the great books Sahara Overland and Mauritania avec 2cv .

Fair winds and following seas...

Too true Armadillo - I was thinking the very same. These are the worst of times for Saharan travel. As Chris Scott noted a few months back, there was a time in 2003 when we travelled much of the southern Algerian border with Niger (west to east) in one vehicle, with one satellite phone and no guide. How things have changed.

Ennahar Online - Seven members of an AQIM support network arrested in southern Algeria

Many stories in Ennahar today. Editor writes about the true identity of Abou Zeid. And that Germenau died of a heart attack in early July.
Ennahar Online - Mohamed Mokaddem, author of "France and armed Islamism"
He is also promoting his new book
Ennahar Online - France and the armed Islamism, by Mohamed Mokeddem
GSPC gave Chirac an ultimatum "convert to islam or else!"

I too really hope we can go back to talking about wind and traces in the sand someday.
Before we can do that, I fear the chinese will have made paved roads in all directions from Tam and elsewhere.

BBC News - Algeria to host summit on Sahara Islamist militancy

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Ennahar Online - 13 AQIM prisoners transferred from Nouakchott to a secret location

Algerian troops clash with terrorists near Niger

2011-05-25 Algerian soldiers killed three terrorists during a clash Monday along the Niger border, El Khabar reported on Tuesday (May 24th). The ANP troops, operating under the command of the sixth military region in Tamanrasset, had launched a search operation after a bomb explosion struck a Niger army patrol. According to security sources, the operation confirmed successful co-ordination between Algerian and Niger security services, under the Tamanrasset joint military command.
Last Friday in Bamako, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger agreed to form a 75,000-man security force to police the Sahel-Saharan region for al-Qaeda terrorists and traffickers. The Algiers-based Joint Military Staff Committee of the Sahel Region (CEMOC) will organise the new military force.


Magharebia.com

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Ennahar Online - Niger: Army tracks down elements of AQIM after the clashes on Sunday

Ennahar Online - A Moroccan terrorist eliminated and a Libyan arrested in Illizi

Ennahar Online - Three vehicles loaded with weapons from Libya seized in Illizi

Aqim leaders El Para in jail and Hassan Hattab in house arrest
Hattab assigné à résidence, Abderrazak El Para en prison - A la une - El Watan

Possible links between Boko Haram (Nigeria), Al-Shabaab (Somalia) and Aqim
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.ph...ity&Itemid=113

I see that the first Ennahar report from DTH says "... near the Algerian-Libyan border, east of the region of Debdab" which could put it in Libya, south of Ghadames. This suggests the Alg army is also able or prepared to cross that border to take action, as well as into Niger (as reported on this thread 3 weeks ago). Debdeb is 5km from the Libyan border.

It's a bit clearer in the second Ennahar report from priffe, but it's worth mentioning that by '.. in Illizi' they mean Illizi the huge province or wilaya, running from Tunisia down to Niger, not the town on the road to Djanet.

There's been this confusion before with Tam the town and Tam the wilaya.

I wonder if the sudden action in Mali is as a result of the heavier Libyan army weapons thought to be leaking out to AQIM based there.

Ch

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Wonder why they go over Algeria, wouldn't it be much safer going south into Niger and then head west for Mali?
But then the other day three vehicles were intercepted by Niger military. Semtec, detonators and weapons onboard. Touareg driver, well known from rebellion days.
Lots of bad libyan stuff in Mali now, while bombs are going off daily in Nigeria, even in Abuja.

read the blogs for updates like Sahel Blog
also
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.ph...and&Itemid=105
Nouakchott court sentences al-Qaeda supporters (Magharebia.com)

further
Aqim now armed with SAM missiles can bring down civilian airliners
http://shimronletters.blogspot.com/2...ground-to.html
France wants to take control of water holes?
http://www.maliweb.net/category.php?NID=77505

Ennahar Online - Two terrorists eliminated and weapons recovered in Tamanrasset

As ever, the geography in these articles is wanting:

"The operation took place on the border between Algeria and Mali, more precisely in the region of Amkizi, 28 km southwest of Tamanrasset."

Tam is about 400km from the Mali/Algerian border.
Does anyone know where Amkizi is?

This latest operation is mixed news for Tam. On the upside, the Algerian military and intelligence shows its capabilities again. If this were Mali or Niger, the outcome would surely have been different. On the downside, if it really did happen 28km from Tam, then that is not good news for the security of the town.

I just tried to find Amkizi on IGN 200k (old) map. Nothing there, only Amsel village fits the distance, just off the TSH. To the SW only rock and rubble, but maybe that's the point.

In March (was it?) we read of an AQIM cell dug out of Abalessa village not far NW of Tam. If, as the report says, they're after raiding military bases, Tam would be a great but pretty bold place to do it. Every other compound there seems to be a base of some sort.

You'd think the bases at Bordj Moktar, Tim Missao or IGZ would be easier targets to hit and run. Maybe Tam was planned as a suicide job, as they tried in Nema last year.

But from what's reported I do get the impression the Alg army is on the case in the south.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail