361Security
  • Intelligence
    • Blogs >
      • Paul Ashley
      • Brandon Scott >
        • Book
      • Haqmal
    • Analysis
    • Regions >
      • Global
      • Africa >
        • Kenya
        • Nigeria
        • Somalia
      • Asia >
        • Afghanistan
        • Myanmar (Burma)
        • India
        • North Korea
        • Pakistan
      • Europe >
        • Russia
      • Latin America >
        • Brazil
        • Colombia
        • El Salvador
        • Honduras
        • Mexico
        • Venezuela
      • Middle East >
        • Iran
        • Iraq
        • Jordan
        • Kuwait
        • Lebanon
        • Libya
        • Saudi Arabia
        • Syria
        • Turkey
        • Yemen
    • 'The First 300' Project
  • Services
    • US Government Services
    • Jobs Portal >
      • Leads
    • Shop
    • External Links
    • Consulting
    • Human Security
    • Development Nexus
    • Request For Information
    • Market Security
    • Key Leader Dossiers
    • Information Security
    • Literature Reviews
    • Cultural Intelligence
    • Research Resources
    • Forums (Beta)
    • Files
    • Security & Stability
    • Terrorist Profiles
  • Communications
    • About
    • Advertising
    • Public Affairs
    • Contributors >
      • Zachary Alpert
      • Paul Ashley
      • Michael Bassett
      • Ben Eden
      • Jeffrey Hawn
      • Nick Heras
      • Attila Laczko
      • Brandon Scott
      • Chris VanKirk
    • Mailing List

Terrorism and Security Report- AFRICA

6/6/2013

Comments

 
Updates on: Egypt, Mali, Niger, Nigeria

Egypt – The Egyptian Prosecutor’s Office explained that three suspects linked to al-Qaeda targeted the United States and French embassies in Cairo as well as an Egyptian military facility in the Sinai Peninsula.  In the May 15 361 Terrorist and Security report, it was highlighted that there was a possibility of a terrorist attack on a Western embassy in Egypt, but there were no further details.  It is possible that these two incidents are connected, and that insurgents are using the country’s civil unrest in an attempt to attack Western targets.

In another report, two Egyptian jihadists have called for all Sunnis to launch attacks on Shiite led countries in response to the al-Assad offensive in al-Qusayr, a city in central-western Syria near the Lebanese border. If this has any effect, it will certainly cause a great deal of problems and the conflict in Syria will definitely overspill.

Mali – The main political parties of Mali welcomed an announcement that presidential elections will be held on July 28. It is likely that Malian and foreign militants will attempt to hijack the election process. These militants do not like that France and its associated allies have forcibly removed them, and will attempt to put a stop to Western-backed elections in Mali. Tensions will be high in the run-up to the election, and it will be up to those who provide it security to ensure that the elections proceed as smoothly as possible.

Niger – On May 23, in attacks against the north-central town of Agadez, and a French-owned uranium mine further north in Arlit, the Niger government said at least twenty soldiers and five suicide bombers were killed. The French media stated that the Salafist militant group the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) had claimed responsibility for the attacks. In a later report from the Long War Journal, however, it is stated that this was a joint operation between the “Those Who Sign in Blood Brigade” and the MUJAO. 

It is believed that these well-planned and executed attacks which were carried out by a five man assault team and were in revenge for the death of Abdel Hamid Abou Zeid, an al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) commander who was killed by French and Chadian forces on February 25 in a military operation in northern Mali.  This is the first attack inside Niger since Nigerien troops were committed to assist the French in its military campaign in Mali.  MOJWA is an active militant organization that is a splinter group of al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, and its goal is to spread jihad across a large section of West Africa. Its operations have been limited to southern Algeria and northern Mali in the past.   

The “Those Who Sign in Blood Brigade” were responsible for the January attack in Amenas, Algeria.  Although Niger is within the group’s area of operations, there has been no indication in the past that the two groups have formed an alliance. If they formed an alliance, future attacks on the order of the May 23 assault should be expected.

Niger became a French colony in 1922, and gained its independence on August 3, 1960. The French still have huge interests in the country and will no doubt become further targets of militant attacks in the future.  Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the leader of the Amenas oil field attack, has stated:

“We will have more operations by the strength and power of Allah and not only that, but we will move the battle to inside his country if he doesn't withdraw his mercenary army." 

This statement only goes to prove that there will be more attacks in Niger sometime in the future.  It is also possible that Niger could be the next insurgent hotspot for militant Salafist forces in West Africa due to the flight of jihadists from Mali.

Nigeria – Nigeria’s military has to be very careful in its ingoing operations against Boko Haram (BH) militants in northern Nigeria. There is a great possibility that BH and the Nigerian military could be engaged in a protracted conflict. The Nigerian military’s efforts are complicated by its belief, or excuse, that BH militants are hiding amongst the Northern Nigerian population. Ill treatment of the local population may actually increase support for BH.  

On May 31, it was reported that three people had been arrested and admitted to being members of the Lebanese Hezbollah. They were allegedly targeting Israeli and United States interests in the region. On February 21, 361 Security reported that three members of an Iranian-backed terrorist cell had been arrested in the country. It is possible that the three recently arrested men were part of the same group.

Paul Ashley is the Senior Counter-Terrorist Analyst
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    Archives

    December 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    February 2019
    December 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Categories

    All
    Afghanistan
    Africa
    Algeria
    Al Nusrah Front
    Al-Nusrah Front
    Al Qaeda
    Al Qaeda
    Al Shabaab
    Al-Shabaab
    Americas
    AMISOM
    Anarchists
    Ansar Al Sharia
    Ansar Al-Sharia
    Anti-Semitic
    AQAP
    AQIM
    Arab Spring
    Arab-spring
    Argentina
    Asia
    Asymmetrical Warfare
    Australia
    Austria
    Baghdad
    Bahrain
    Bangladesh
    Belgium
    Blackmarket
    Boko Haram
    Bomb
    Borneo
    Bosnia
    British
    Burundi
    Cairo
    Caliphate
    Cameroon
    Canada
    Car Bomb
    Cartels
    Caucasus
    Central-african-republic
    Chad
    Charity
    Chechen
    Chechnya
    Chile
    China
    Colombia
    Crime
    Crimea
    Cuba
    Czech
    Denmark
    Diaoyu
    Djibouti
    Drug Trafficking
    Dubai
    Egypt
    Elections
    Eln
    El-salvador
    Eta
    Ethiopia
    Europe
    Execution
    Explosives
    Farc
    Fatah
    Financing
    France
    Gas-attacks
    Gaza-strip
    Germany
    Global
    Golan-heights
    Great Britain
    Greece
    Guantanamo-bay
    Gulf Cooperation Council
    Hamas
    Haqqani
    Haqqani-network
    Hezballah
    Holland
    Hostage
    Human Trafficking
    Ied
    India
    Indonesia
    Inspire
    Insurgency
    Iran
    Iraq
    Ireland
    Isil
    Isis
    Islamic-revolutionary-guard
    Islamic State
    Islamist
    Israel
    Italy
    Japan
    Jeffrey Hawn
    Jerusalem
    Jihadist
    Jordan
    Kabul
    Kashmir
    Kenya
    KGB
    Kidnapped
    Kidnapping
    Kosovo
    Kurdistan
    Kuwait
    Latin America
    Latin America
    Lebanon
    Lej
    Let
    Libya
    London
    Los Zetas
    Maghreb
    Malaysia
    Mali
    Maoist
    Maritime
    Mauritania
    Mecca
    Mek
    Mend
    Mexico
    Middle East
    Milf
    Militants
    Militia
    Mogadishu
    Morocco
    Mortar-attack
    Muslim-brotherhood
    Myanmar
    Narcotics
    NATO
    Netherlands
    Niger
    Nigeria
    Northan Ireland
    North Korea
    Norway
    Nuclear
    Pakistan
    Palestine
    Peru
    Philippines
    Pij
    Pipe-bomb
    Pira
    Piracy
    Pirates
    Plf
    Plfi
    Poland
    Portugal
    Presidential-elections
    Propaganda
    Puntland
    Putin
    Qatar
    Quds-force-brigade
    Reconnaissance
    Rocket-attack
    Russia
    Sahrawi-republic
    Salafist
    Saudi Arabia
    Saudi Arabia
    Security
    Senegal
    Senkaku
    Serbia
    Shooting
    Sierra-leone
    Sinai
    Small Arms Proliferation
    Smuggling
    Somalia
    South-africa
    South-sudan
    Space
    Spain
    Spectacular
    Sri-lanka
    Strategic Defense
    Sudan
    Suicide Attack
    Switzerland
    Syria
    Tahrir
    Taliban
    Tanker
    Tanzania
    Terrorism
    Terrorists
    Terrorist Threat
    Thailand
    Threats
    Training
    Ttp
    Tuareg
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Uae
    Uganda
    Ukraine
    UN
    United Kingdom
    United-nations
    United States
    Uvied
    Uyghur
    Vbied
    Vehicle-borne-ied
    Warfare
    Weapons
    West-bank
    Worldwide
    Yemen

    RSS Feed

© 2011 - 2024