Desert storm: AQIM and Tuareg rebels in the Sahel

摘要

1.The presence of Islamist militant group Al-Oaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb (AQIM) in the Sahelian region of North Africa has major security implications for the countries nearby, specifically Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Algeria.rn2.This problem is compounded by longstanding grievances from the ethnic Tuareg groups in the region, which have also mounted attacks.rn3.Efforts to formalise regional co operation have as yet had little success, with regional initiatives apparently set to remain at an ad hoc, often bilateral level in the short term.