Algeria, bordering Sahel countries mount joint offensive against al-Qaeda

2009-05-06

Nations along Algeria's southern border are collaborating to curb terrorism and organised crime.

By Nazim Fethi and Said Jameh for Magharebia in Algiers – 06/05/09

[Getty Images] Algeria will provide neighbouring countries with equipment and expertise to combat regional terrorism.

Algeria, Mali, Niger and Mauritania are preparing to launch a massive combined anti-terrorist operation against al-Qaeda in the four countries' border region. Algeria, which has the strongest military and the longest border with this troubled zone, already began flying military aid into Mali.

This is the largest operation to date in the vast desert region, long favoured by smugglers and terrorist groups as a hiding place and trafficking route.

Anti-terrorism experts fear that the porous nature of Saharan borders and the inability of governments to patrol adequately will lead to the development of a "second Afghanistan", where terrorists can train and co-ordinate with impunity.

The announcement of the operation comes at a time when efforts are under way to obtain the release of two European men (one British and one Swiss) held by a terrorist group led by Yahia Abi Amar.

"The timing chosen by the region's armies coincides with the steps being taken to get the hostages released," one expert told Magharebia. Speaking anonymously, he added that the military planners don't want to let the captors escape, as has happened in the past.

"It's been shown that western countries have made a tactical error by meeting the terrorist groups' ransom demands," he continued, saying that the money is then used to purchase weapons.

According to Salima Tlemçani, a journalist with El Watan and a specialist in terrorism-related issues, Algeria is offering a broad range of military aid to support the operation.

"This is a considerable consignment of military equipment, armament, telecommunications equipment and fuel," she said. "The first consignment will be followed over the coming weeks by four more, carried by Algerian air force transport."

Tlemçani said Algerian officials received a detailed list of Malian military requirements during an April visit to Bamako.

Algerian security expert Bouelame Ghoumerassa said the current operation indicates a shift in the region from mere information-sharing to more profound co-ordination. The enhanced co-operation serves two purposes, Ghoumerassa said: first, to contain the activities of jihadist groups in the area which have worsened with the kidnapping Western nationals; and second, to show that the Sahel countries possess the necessary capabilities to provide for their own security.

The leaders of six countries – Algeria, Mali, Niger, Libya, Burkina Faso and Chad – have agreed to a summit in Bamako to develop a unified strategy, but it has been postponed on three different occasions.

In a recent interview with El Watan, Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré attributed the delay to certain nation's agendas, but said he expected it to be held "when the necessary circumstances are available".

Touré stressed, however, that his country always stands up to threats.

"We fight them on a daily basis," he said. "The quantities of arms, munitions and drugs we intercept on a regular basis are proof of our commitment on the ground."

He described the challenge his government faces in maintaining security: "Mali's borders in the north cover huge distances: there is a 1,200 km border with Algeria, 2,000 km with Mauritania and 900 km with Niger. Is it an easy thing for us to control all these areas with the limited resources we have? "

"That's why I say that the solution can only be a collective one," Touré concluded.