Mistrust among Sahel states slowing fight against Al-Qaeda

BAMAKO — Lack of cooperation and mutual mistrust among African states in the northwest Sahel region are hindering their ability to combat Al-Qaeda militants sowing fear in the vast desert area, observers said Thursday.Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is active in the semi-arid Sahel strip across Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Algeria where vital cooperation is being held up by rivalry and accusations of complacency."Regional considerations have caused rivalries and endless quarrels that ultimately make a concerted counter-terrorism effort a pipe dream," a recent editorial in Algeria's private Liberte newspaper noted.A week ago Mauritania, the country worst-affected by AQIM activities along with Algeria, launched a military offensive against the organisation in neighbouring Mali with assistance from the French military to try to rescue a French hostage.As revenge for this attack in which seven Al-Qaeda militants were killed, AQIM announced it had executed Michel Germaneau on July 24.A spate of kidnappings and executions in the zone have caused diplomatic divisions between the countries, such as when Mali released militants wanted by Algeria to secure the release of a hostage earlier this year.Algeria, the economic and military power among these Sahel states, is crucial to the anti-terrorism fight, and in April it set up a regional command post in Tamanrasset in the south to co-ordinate the Algerian army's activities with those of Mauritania, Mali and Niger.However Algeria -- where AQIM has its roots and has carried out numerous attacks -- has distanced itself by accusing its southern neighbours, especially Mali, of a certain complacency to the Al-Qaeda-linked branch."If we don't want to accept the idea that there may be a form of complicity between the governments of the Sahel and... AQIM, we can on the other hand regret the nonchalance which characterises the anti-terrorist struggle in this region," declared an editorial in Algeria's Al-Watan newspaper.Mauritania, Niger and Mali in turn accuse Algeria

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