Africa: A Haven of Militants and Foreign Headaches

As the French troops are set for a major combat operations on the ground in Mali, Islamists were at it again in Algeria. 

A convoy of about 30 armoured vehicles set out on Tuesday for Diabaly, 350km (220 miles) to the north, a town captured by the rebels the day before.

The first units of an African force are set to arrive on Wednesday to bolster the French with Nigeria sending 190 soldiers. The Islamists entered Diabaly on Monday, taking the town from Malian forces. French war planes have since attacked the rebel positions.

As France is getting set, Islamist militants seized five Japanese nationals and a French citizen from an oil facility in Ain Amenas in southern Algeria on Wednesday, local and diplomatic sources told Reuters.

The foreigners were taken from the facility in the morning, they said. There was no immediate confirmation of the abduction from Algerian officials.

French foreign ministry officials said they had no immediate comment on the hostage report and were still trying to verify the information.

With the setback in Somalia and the heavy firepower of the Islamists in Mali, France remained resolute. Residents in Mali greeted the French contigents with joy, waving at the soldiers with passionate optimism. The heavy strikes at rebel positions paved the way for the coming possible ground assaults.

The BBC  correspondent in Mali says France and the Malian army need to take the towns of Konna and Diabaly to advance their campaigns. 

Nigeria and her 190 Soldiers in Mali!!! A Mission of Jokes

Nigeria has decided to send 190 soldiers down to Mali after France has taken the initiative to combat the Islamists. What will be the effect of 190 soldiers in a vast land called Northern Mali?

Nigeria's act is at best laughable. The United Nations has given the West African body, ECOWAS the 'legal military framework' to tackle the insurgency but the body postponed any action all in the name of preparations. This is giving the Islamist rebels more time to get to Bamako.

Colonel Yerima said: “The degenerating crisis in the Republic of Mali compelled the decision of ECOWAS Heads of Government to intervene with a deployment of their military forces.

“Following this decision and in line with Nigeria’s acclaimed peacekeeping roles and in the spirit of African brotherhood, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has ordered the immediate deployment of Nigerian troops to Mali.

‘‘The President approved the deployment of a Battallion and in the next 24 hours, a Company of the Battalion [190] will be deployed. The remainder would be deployed later. Already, the Force Commander, Major General S U Abdulkadir, is on ground in Mali.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2085 of December 2012 approved the deployment of ECOWAS Security Force to assist Mali in reclaiming the northern part of the country from Islamic militants. Nigeria is still largely unable to address the Boko Haram hazard.

West Africa has proven that Africa will continue to depend on foreign actions to tackle her morass and menace. The colonel even said the EU remains in close touch with all international actors including the AU, ECOWAS and the UN. I wonder what actions the AU and ECOWAS have taken. 

The US and NATO in Mali?

The stage could be set for the coming of the United States and NATO into Mali. NATO and the United Kingdom has reiterated that they will not intervene militarily in Mali with boots on the ground. UK has sponsored France with aircraft and ready to provide more logistics. The call within the Republican circle that Obama should respond to France is reminiscent of Libya.

France has called on the Security Council of the United Nations to discuss and this might shore of international support for the mission. The Islamists on their part have promised France a long war. The have being launching a counter-offensive to drive home the point that the war is continuous and could get to mainland France.

The Obama administration should give France whatever aid it needs to combat Islamist militants in Mali, the top Republican on foreign affairs issues said Tuesday. 

“I expect the Obama administration to honour appropriate requests for intelligence and logistics support from France,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) said in a statement. “When confronting a shared threat, we should have our ally’s back.”

Royce's comments come amid reports that France is beefing up its intervention to roll back Islamists who have taken over the northern part of the desert country and are threatening the rest of the country. The French intervention was requested by the country's president, who took over following a military coup last year that has been denounced by the Obama administration.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Monday the United States has a “responsibility” to help roll back the al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali.

“I welcome France taking the initiative to combat this serious security threat in West Africa,” Royce said. “The vast area of Northern Mali gives these al Qaeda-linked militants space to operate, and the weapons flowing out of Libya makes them deadly. This cancer could not go unaddressed.

“This isn’t avant garde for the French. They have shown leadership in working with Ivory Coast and other African governments to improve security. Paris understands the high stakes.”

If the United States is involved, then NATO cannot be extricated from Mali too. The fear is that another Libya might be brewing in West Africa and more weapons will be in circulation; hence, another vicious circle of violence and instability if they leave.