Publication

This commentary examines the evolving role of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in political conflicts in North and West Africa. The overthrow of Libya's President Qadaffi in 2012, a renewed Tuareg rebellion in Mali and dysfunction within the ranks of the Malian army created a political opportunity for AQIM. The organization assumed a central role in the conflict in Northern Mali and acted as an intermediary for jihadist groups operating in other parts of the Maghreb. However, the author argues that the subsequent external intervention in Northern Mali has shifted AQIM's strategy and encouraged it to focus on conflicts in other key regions.