Away from the gaze of most international media, the latest in a string of increasingly deadly insurgent attacks unfolded in relative obscurity in the Sahel region of North Africa, which is now one of the largest hotbeds of terrorism. Meanwhile, the location of the latest attack in Diougnani near Mopti, southern Mali, reflects another fundamental aspect of the insurgency. The International Response: “An Inconvenient Reality”France, which historically colonized much of the Sahel region, began its counter-insurgency efforts in 2013. But his intensification of the counter-insurgency effort already faces a major obstacle even before the first reinforcements have arrived. This is something that security forces have done unofficially for several years, but the Burkinabe parliament enacted into law on January 23.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 07, 2020 23:37 UTC