Thanks gandalftb. Here's a map showing the area gandalftb's referencing:
A map of the Sahel region showing where Al Qaeda operates (AFP/Graphic)
Posted on 07/06/2011 8:38:29 AM PDT by gandalftb
An Al-Qaeda leader of Algerian nationality was among 20 militants killed in southern Mauritania during a clash with military forces.
Mauritanian forces on Tuesday reportedly responded to an attack on a military base in Bassiknou on the border with Mali by launching a counter-offensive against forces from The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM the terror network's North African branch.
The firefight lasted around 45 minutes and afterward Mauritanian forces chased the militants into Mali. Ten insurgents were captured during the standoff.
(Excerpt) Read more at adnkronos.com ...
He is an Algerian, about 40, a long time bomb maker and named as Emir of the Maghreb (N Africa) by UBL.
As a consequence of the civil war in Libya, AQIM used its income from kidnapping, drug smuggling and slave trafficking to buy surface-to-air missiles and weapons from rebel-captured Gaddafi's military stockpiles.
AQIM was well on its way to becoming a formidable army, the best equipped in the Sahel.
The Sahel is that semi-arid E-W region of Africa running just S of the Sahara from the Red Sea to the Atlantic. It includes Ethiopia, Darfur, Chad, Mali, Timbuktu, etc. It is a frontier area with no effective governance that AQIM operates freely in transporting drugs and weapons across Africa to Yemen and off to Europe and the N African coast.
AQIM was hit hard in Algeria so they moved to the Wagadou forest in Mali and were attacked there by French and Mauritanian forces last month. This attack was in revenge and may have cost AQIM their leader.
ping
The reception depot in Hell seems rather busy these days.
Good news. Thanks for the ping.
A good-news BTT. I’ll be watching Craig’s List for “Emir Wanted” job ads...
A map of the Sahel region showing where Al Qaeda operates (AFP/Graphic)
The key smuggling route across the Red Sea from Yemen is an obvious linkage to AQAP. Clearly with Z running AQ and wanting to get back to the Sudan. The emerging front with AQ certainly seems very apparent and our general sat overlook absence in the Sahel would certainly encourage AQ to operate there.
And Iran’s got missiles overlooking the Red Sea, must be for self-defense. ;’)
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