AQIM, al-Qaeda and the politics of terror in the Sahara

In September, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) abducted seven employees of French uranium giants Areva in northern Niger. An ongoing debate has been centred on the possible implication of the local Touareg, and the actual link between AQIM and al-Qaeda, which has yet to be precisely established. It was the ideal moment for Osama…

Read More

Oil, terror and exclusion in the Sahara

The Sahara Desert is of strategic interest to many governments, both African and Western. The geostrategic position of the region has made it a central point throughout history, but recent events have brought it under the negative spotlight of the media. The Sahara is back in the headlines following the kidnapping of seven employees of…

Read More