Interesting sounding film on this topic
Les Salafistes http://gu.com/p/4g9hq/stw

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

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


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.

REFILE-Mali captures militant Islamist leader on Mauritanian border | News by Country | Reuters

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

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

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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www.globerider.pl

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/

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

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.

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?

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

Not that I believe ransom should be paid to the Sahel Criminal, because it encourages further kidnappings but FYI, Ripcord Insurance will only pay $10,000 if it happens to you.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

https://twitter.com/Baba_A_/status/1554539386200539137

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail