Last week we followed the story of a French attack on  terrorists belonging to the Ansar al-Dine group near the Mali-Algeria boarder, as the story unfolded. below is a short snippet from the two page special report that we produced as an Algeria update.

To receive the full report then please contact Roger.cabrera@menas.co.uk

ALGERIA UPDATE – French attack near Tin Zaouatene

As Algeria Politics & Security – 16.02.18 reported, French forces undertook a daring, high-precision attack on terrorists belonging to the Ansar al-Dine group, which is led by the notorious Malian Tuareg, Iyad ag Ghali. According to the initial statement made by French armed services spokesman, Colonel Patrick Steiger, the attack took place between 04.20 and 05.20 GMT in the vicinity of the Oued Inaghalawass, in northern Mali, between the towns of Boughessa and Tin Zaouatene, and 900 metres from the Algerian border.

This first report gave a provisional body count of 10-17 terrorists killed. Further reports from secondary sources put the figure at between 10-20 either dead and/or captured. Other secondary reports put the number of dead at 15-17.

There appears to have been no immediate statement or reaction from the Algerian authorities. The first report in the country’s media was a brief statement in the Arabic language Echourouk newspaper on 14 February. It was written by the paper’s correspondent in Tamanrasset. It said: ‘A French plane bombarded two four-wheel drive vehicles inside the Algerian border near the Akharban region in the district of Tin Zaouatene, leaving ten dead.’ Unsurprisingly this report led to angry comments on Facebook from Algerians who presumably believed that France had launched an attack inside the country.

There appears to have been no further reports in the Algerian media prior to 16 February when an official communique was released by General François Lecointre, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces. He congratulated the French forces who, he said, had led a daring raid against armed terrorist groups during the night of 13-14 February in the north-eastern Mali, between Boughessa and Tin Zaouatene.

This article is just a small section of a longer two page report, to receive your free copy of the report then email roger.cabrera@menas.co.uk