It's not going to get better soon
I was just at another FCO meeting today on Sahel security for tour ops and interested parties.
To cut a long story short:
• They see no imminent prospect of final showdown with AQIM from Mali or adjacent countries/EU.
• Mali is more concerned about a new Tuareg uprising than the activities of AQIM. (And so, as had been mentioned, no prospect of a Tuareg militia to kick out AQIM from north Mali).
• There is still a US training base is Gao - but their efforts over the years appear to have been unproductive.
• The Brit govt guy from Bamako said the Malians were genuinely shocked by the Timbuktu events. The breaking of a 'non aggression' pact was spoken of, as well as a 'declaration of war'.[added] Also, a fairly plausible explanation for the slow reaction of the police/army to chase the 3 kidnapped from T'too: no fuel; no permission; too scared of ending up like the German guy. After all, it's not like T'too has been an effective outpost, poised to chase AQ into the desert. A few weeks before, security there had been reported as pretty slack during an official Mali Tourisme promo tour.
Rather tellingly 'Hombori' was never mentioned - until some of us referred to it later.
Ch
Last edited by Chris Scott; 13 Dec 2011 at 11:59.
|