Here's an example of what Mauri is doing to secure the desert

Mauritania touts counter-terror operations near Mali border (Magharebia.com)

"Mauritanian security forces took reporters on their first-ever tour of counter-terrorism operations in the restive desert region of Adrar on Friday (November 13th), ANI reported.
Adrar is the country's most popular tourist destination but also the infiltration point for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terrorists from Mali. The 2008 kidnapping and subsequent beheading of 11 Mauritanian soldiers in Aklet Tourine spurred Mauritania to create a special military unit in the north-eastern province. Ever since the Mauritanian Special Forces (GSI) cordoned off the area, "all infiltration areas have been fully identified [and] illegal activities have come to a complete halt," said GSI Commander Sidi Ahmed.

To handle the difficult desert conditions, GSI operatives receive special survival training and learn to master driving in the sand dunes without GPS navigation. An outreach strategy with nomads has also benefitted military counter-terrorism operations in the sparsely-populated region, the GSI officer explained.

"To ensure that the nomads provide information to the army, not the enemy, a support program has been implemented. The GSI facilitates their access to water and medical care and buys their livestock, which dispenses with the need for them to make long trips to the city and ensures their income," he said. "Our intelligence capabilities are enhanced."


It is partly the tense relationship between touaregs and Mali government that makes the Mali desert unpatrolled and unsafe, allowing the Aqim to establish themselves.
The outreach program in Mauritania is probably more important than the military presence in the long run. This is what the Mali governement should do, too.

That is the way to do it (assuming it's not all spin and the GSI are not beating it out of the nomads and stealing their cams). Mori was the most nomadic desert country of all until 40 years ago and today still benefits from the govt and nomads being the same people - Moors. Any internal unrest is just the Moorish clans fighting it out for power as we see once in a while.

The thing is I suspect far N. Mali is a bit like the Libyan Desert - less arid sure but there are no wells or the ground water is too bad and so, apart from the salt mine, there are no nomads to outreach too until you get to the east where they're Tuareg. And as we know Tuareg have their own separate issues with the predominately Bambara Mali govt (who of course despise nomads). Same story in Niger (and up to a point, Sudan): it's post independence payback for the bad old slave trading days - hence the rebellions.

So good on the Moris. In Mali you get a feeling elements of the army are in business with AQIM - like that pile of coke that disappeared off the badly landed plane near Gao the other day...

Ch

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Another article dealing with the change in Adrar.
Mauritanian counter-terrorism effort gains ground in Adrar (Magharebia.com)

"Mauritania's measures to bring peace to its restive Adrar region, where terrorists beheaded 11 soldiers last year, are earning positive reviews in the local press and appreciation from the general public.
...
Experts say Adrar, an area known for tourist attractions, has been a key infiltration point for al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorists from Mali. It is also a hotspot for trafficking of people and drugs. Army efforts to deal with such problems have included recruiting Adrar's young people for special anti-terrorism units that scour the region for illegal activity.
...
"Since the deployment of the anti-terrorism units to the area, AQIM-linked gunmen have stopped their attempts to ... cross onto Mauritanian soil," Major Sayyid Ahmed Ould Amhimed told the touring journalists in Atar.
...
Journalist Mohammed Al Moukhtar Ould Mohammed praised efforts to keep reporters and the public apprised of developments in Adrar.

"As journalists, we needed to know the details of what's going on in the Mauritanian desert," he said, adding that previously, the army alone gave accounts of events in the region.

"It seems that the national army has understood the importance of involving the press in the battle they are waging in the heart of the desert, something that will add a new dimension to the so-called 'War on Terror'," Mohammed added.

In connection with the counter-terrorism efforts in the Adrar region, Mauritania is also deeply troubled by the loss of the Paris-Dakar Rally, which was relocated in 2008 after four French tourists were slain in the desert. Eight of the rally's 15 stages previously took place in Mauritania, and the event brought enormous economic rewards."

wondering what the level of danger is in the Goundam - Gargando area... I need to go there in Feb / March, but I'm getting conflicting advice, both from people in the region and from Toubabs:-- some say Ok to go, others say dont even think about going. Anyone got any informationn/ advice to help make the decision? Thanks