Malian forces have taken Kidal the stronghold of Tuareg rebels marking the end of a deal brokered by Algiers in 2015 and the erosion of Algeria’s diplomacy in its Sahel neighborhood. As the war escalates between Malian forces and Tuareg rebels, Algeria looks impotently at the real risks of a spill over. Algiers’ deal crumbled under the rule of an anti-French and pro-Russian military junta that has asked Algeria literally to mind its business. As the Sahel burns, Algeria’s voice has become inaudible in its own neighborhood. Sahel military juntas are not ready to receive lessons from Algeria, another military-ruled country behind a thin civilian curtain.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 27, 2023 12:52 UTC