10-03-2017, 10:18 PM
*** 4-Oct-17 World View -- Jihadist attacks in Mali surge with rise of al-Qaeda linked JNIM
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Jihadist attacks on UN peacekeepers surge in Mali
****
![[Image: g130101b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g130101b.jpg)
Djenna Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, built around 1300
On September 24, jihadists attacked a convoy of UN peacekeepers in
Kidal, in the region of Gao in Mali. The peacekeepers were all part
of the UN peacekeeping force with the cumbersome name Multidimensional
Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA). The attack killed three
Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured four others.
This was just one of a surge of new jihadist attacks in the region,
across Mali and into Niger and Burkina Faso. The surge in attacks
threatens the entire United Nations peacekeeping strategy for Africa's
Sahel (the strip of Africa just below the Sahara desert, separating
the Arab north from Black Africa to the south).
The security situation in Mali has "significantly worsened," according
to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In the four months since
June, extremist groups carried out 75 attacks: 44 against Malian
forces, 21 against the UN’s MINUSMA operation and 10 against France's
Operation Barkhane, mostly in northern Mali, with Mali's forces
suffering most of the casualties. This rate of attacks is double
those of the same period last year.
The United Nations has 13,000 peacekeepers in Mali, which ranks among
its biggest and costliest missions. France has 4,000 troops serving
across the Sahel region in five countries (Mauritania, Mali, Burkina
Faso, Niger and Chad) in Operation Barkhane, launched in 2014. France
would like to withdraw its troops, and replace them with 5,000
soldiers and police in the "G5 Sahel Force, funded by the UN.
However, "funded by the UN" means "mostly funded by the US," and
President Trump vetoed the proposal.
Instead, the proposal was changed to consist of troops from the same
five countries, with an annual budget of $496 million (423 million
euros) a year. But so far only about $127 million (108 million euros)
has been pledged.
So a shortage of funding for peacekeeping is being combined with a
surge in jihadist attacks, putting the entire UN peacekeeping plan in
jeopardy. According to the UN's Guterres, Mali’s peace process must
be salvaged to prevent "a descent into a vicious cycle of violence and
chaos, jeopardizing the future of Mali and its chances for lasting
peace." United Nations (25-Sep) and Relief Web (28-Sep) and African Union (26-Sep) and Long War Journal
****
**** JNIM (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims) takes credit for attacks
****
An al-Qaeda linked group formed early this year, the "Group for the
Support of Islam and Muslims" (JNIM, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam
wal-Muslim) took credit for the August 24 attack in Kidal, as well as
a number of other attacks, and released video as proof.
JNIM was formed by a merger of four Mali-based al-Qaeda linked groups,
including Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al
Murabitoon, and Katibat Macina (Macina Liberation Front).
These individual groups were responsible for a combined total of 250
al-Qaeda linked attacks in 2016, up 150% from 2015. Ansar Dine
claimed over 80 attacks, while AQIM claimed 21. The majority were
never claimed, but were attributed to the jihadists.
The surge in jihadist attacks in 2017 is being attributed to the rise
of JNIM. JNIM has performed some large attacks, made possible because
the members of the merged organization are able to take advantage of
each other's resources. The JNIM merger is considered an ominous sign
of things to come for all of West Africa.
Separately, many attacks in Burkina Faso are thought to be the work of
Ansaroul Islam, a newly formed jihadist group led by an ally of Mali's
Ansar Dine. Long War Journal (18-Mar-2017) and AFP and Long War Journal (18-Apr)
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Mali, Kidal, Gao, Niger, Burkina Faso,
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission, MINUSMA,
António Guterres, France, Mauritania, Chad, G5 Sahel Force,
Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims,
JNIM, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim,
Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM,
Al Murabitoon, Katibat Macina, Macina Liberation Front,
Ansaroul Islam
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Jihadist attacks on UN peacekeepers surge in Mali
- JNIM (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims) takes credit for attacks
****
**** Jihadist attacks on UN peacekeepers surge in Mali
****
Djenna Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, built around 1300
On September 24, jihadists attacked a convoy of UN peacekeepers in
Kidal, in the region of Gao in Mali. The peacekeepers were all part
of the UN peacekeeping force with the cumbersome name Multidimensional
Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA). The attack killed three
Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured four others.
This was just one of a surge of new jihadist attacks in the region,
across Mali and into Niger and Burkina Faso. The surge in attacks
threatens the entire United Nations peacekeeping strategy for Africa's
Sahel (the strip of Africa just below the Sahara desert, separating
the Arab north from Black Africa to the south).
The security situation in Mali has "significantly worsened," according
to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In the four months since
June, extremist groups carried out 75 attacks: 44 against Malian
forces, 21 against the UN’s MINUSMA operation and 10 against France's
Operation Barkhane, mostly in northern Mali, with Mali's forces
suffering most of the casualties. This rate of attacks is double
those of the same period last year.
The United Nations has 13,000 peacekeepers in Mali, which ranks among
its biggest and costliest missions. France has 4,000 troops serving
across the Sahel region in five countries (Mauritania, Mali, Burkina
Faso, Niger and Chad) in Operation Barkhane, launched in 2014. France
would like to withdraw its troops, and replace them with 5,000
soldiers and police in the "G5 Sahel Force, funded by the UN.
However, "funded by the UN" means "mostly funded by the US," and
President Trump vetoed the proposal.
Instead, the proposal was changed to consist of troops from the same
five countries, with an annual budget of $496 million (423 million
euros) a year. But so far only about $127 million (108 million euros)
has been pledged.
So a shortage of funding for peacekeeping is being combined with a
surge in jihadist attacks, putting the entire UN peacekeeping plan in
jeopardy. According to the UN's Guterres, Mali’s peace process must
be salvaged to prevent "a descent into a vicious cycle of violence and
chaos, jeopardizing the future of Mali and its chances for lasting
peace." United Nations (25-Sep) and Relief Web (28-Sep) and African Union (26-Sep) and Long War Journal
****
**** JNIM (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims) takes credit for attacks
****
An al-Qaeda linked group formed early this year, the "Group for the
Support of Islam and Muslims" (JNIM, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam
wal-Muslim) took credit for the August 24 attack in Kidal, as well as
a number of other attacks, and released video as proof.
JNIM was formed by a merger of four Mali-based al-Qaeda linked groups,
including Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al
Murabitoon, and Katibat Macina (Macina Liberation Front).
These individual groups were responsible for a combined total of 250
al-Qaeda linked attacks in 2016, up 150% from 2015. Ansar Dine
claimed over 80 attacks, while AQIM claimed 21. The majority were
never claimed, but were attributed to the jihadists.
The surge in jihadist attacks in 2017 is being attributed to the rise
of JNIM. JNIM has performed some large attacks, made possible because
the members of the merged organization are able to take advantage of
each other's resources. The JNIM merger is considered an ominous sign
of things to come for all of West Africa.
Separately, many attacks in Burkina Faso are thought to be the work of
Ansaroul Islam, a newly formed jihadist group led by an ally of Mali's
Ansar Dine. Long War Journal (18-Mar-2017) and AFP and Long War Journal (18-Apr)
Related Articles
- France promotes 'G5 Sahel' peacekeeping force in west Africa after jihadist attacks (16-Aug-2017)
- Acting unilaterally, France sends army and air force into Mali (12-Jan-2013)
- Did France kick a hornet's nest with military intervention in Mali? (18-Jan-2013)
- France pulls out of Central African Republic as sectarian violence grows (01-Nov-2016)
- France's new president Macron commits troops to Mali 'as long as necessary' (20-May-2017)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Mali, Kidal, Gao, Niger, Burkina Faso,
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission, MINUSMA,
António Guterres, France, Mauritania, Chad, G5 Sahel Force,
Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims,
JNIM, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim,
Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM,
Al Murabitoon, Katibat Macina, Macina Liberation Front,
Ansaroul Islam
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
