Despite gains against Islamist militias in Mali, France believes victory in the Sahel will require political reform across Africa to eliminate the threat for good
Al-Qaeda
Chad Says It Killed Belmokhtar, Mastermind of Algerian Terrorist Attack
If the report of Mokhtar Belmokhtar’s death proves true, it would be a fitting end for the Algerian jihadist leader who began his career as a hard-line Islamist fighter when he was just 19 years old
The War in Mali: Does France Have an Exit Strategy?
French officials say advances against Islamist militias in Mali may permit France to begin gradual troop withdrawal in March, as soldiers from African nations assume the lead role in battling the jihadi threat
French Family’s Cameroon Kidnapping Stokes Fears of a Pan-African Islamist War
The Feb. 19 kidnapping of a French family in Cameroon by suspected Islamist radicals raises fears of growing cross-boarder operations by African jihadi groups and the use of abduction as a tactic to counter France’s Mali intervention
France’s Mali Mission: Has al-Qaeda Already Been Defeated?
Despite the French army’s rapid progress in pushing al-Qaeda-linked extremists to the nether regions of Mali, officials in Paris say full elimination of jihadi militias in the Sahel is more than unlikely
France’s Next Move: With Mali’s Islamists on the Run, Time to Talk to the Tuaregs
With France preparing to hand its anti-Islamist intervention in Mali to forces from neighboring states, Paris now encourages Malian leaders to negotiate with Tuareg rebels who teamed up with Islamists to dominate the north.
Mali’s War: After Surging Into the Islamist-Held North, Will France Retreat?
Franco-Malian offensive frees Timbuktu as the last major Mali town held by jihadi militias, but French moves handing over campaign against al-Qaeda allies in Mali to African forces raise doubts about future success.
Viewpoint: Algerian Terror Debacle Shows that Fighting Al-Qaeda is Like Fighting Narcos
If there’s one thing last week’s attack should tell us, it’s that the “war on terror” isn’t that different from the “war on drugs”.
Algeria’s Hostage Crisis: Did the Jihadists Have Inside Help?
As death toll in Algerian hostage attack grows, security officials examine Europe’s exposure to terror by al Qaeda-lined groups vowing revenge against France and the West for military intervention in Mali’s jihad.
Algeria’s Hostage Crisis: What Was Behind a Shadowy Militant Leader’s Plot?
As the Algerian hostage drama neared day four confusion remained high, information tight, and speculation about multiple motives behind the terror strike emerge
Westerners Kidnapped in North Africa — but Is France the Real Target?
Less than a week into France’s military intervention against Islamist militias in Mali, evidence builds confirming French concerns that their country has become the main focus of jihadi terrorist activity
Intelligence Agent Presumed Dead in Failed French Raid of Somali Islamists
Just hours after France’s military intervene in Mali to battle Islamist militias, a French raid fails to rescue a captive spy held by Somali extremists
Mali’s Crisis: Is the Plan for Western Intervention ‘Crap’?
Though significant differences over details remain, French officials tell TIME to expect an international intervention plan into Mali to get accepted by the U.N. before the year’s end