Niger: Anti-terrorism cooperation has no limits

By on January 10, 2011
After the death of two French nationals abducted in Niger, France calls on its nationals to “exercise the utmost vigilance and more caution” in Mauritania, Mali and Niger. The former head of French counter-terrorism, Louis Caprioli, believes that all countries of the Sahel, mainly Mali and Niger, are dangerous countries, since the capital of Niger was hit with the kidnapping and the killing of the two French.

This shows the vulnerability and the weakness of the Niger to prevent the terrorist actions carried out in the centre of their capital. The kidnappers, who are usually more rampant in the north, want to demonstrate to their supporters and then to the people of the area, they have the capacity to strike anywhere, at anytime and then also to prove they have logistical support networks that provide them with information, networks that allow them to move into the area without drawing attention. There is a real implementation of this organisation, both in Mali and Niger, but there is also a sound concern, over the medium term, that the organisation could take place in Burkina Faso, Nigeria and other countries in the region. The Organisation would therefore contaminate the whole region by the speech it conveys and of course by the other financial resources and means available to it. Louis Caprioli has declared that France had made available the means (human intelligence and equipments) to the Nigerian forces to track the kidnappers, and it is certain that there was cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces, since the Arlit kidnapping event. Lessons have been learned since the operation conducted on July 22 by the French army and the Mauritanian army. It certainly has served a starting stage of a whole strategy in the area – Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger. Special Forces, and then the air force or navy, have provided air coverage over the entire region, and attempt to detect and monitor the activities of terrorists who evolve in this vast area.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.