What's Happening Right Now In Africa Goes Far Beyond National Borders
Dozens of al-Qaeda-linked militants killed two foreigners and are holding about 150 Algerians and 41 foreigners hostage at the In Amenas gas field in eastern Algeria.
U.S. officials told CNN that they believe the attack originated in Libya.
The attackers are demanding a halt of French attacks in northern Mali and the release of 100 militants being held in Algeria in exchange for the safety of kidnapped hostages.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has long been active in Algeria, though it has never attacked the country's oil and gas facilities.
The raid was reportedly led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a veteran Saharan jihadist and smuggling kingpin.
Sky News notes that intelligence experts believe Belmokhtar, a notorious Algerian who lost an eye fighting in Afghanistan in the 1990s, was one of the first AQIM leaders to realize that Islamist fighters could use northern Mali — along with parts of Algeria, Mauritania and Niger — as a safe zone for their operations.
This interactive map by Le Monde shows how this is playing out in the context of the Mali conflict by highlighting the jihadist influence in the region (in green):
So it seems that now AQIM has allied with local jihadist groups Ansar Dine and MUJWA, the Islamists are taking advantage of their uncanny knowledge of terrain to commit what Alex Spillius of The Telegraph describes as "the most spectacular act the region has seen in two decades of terrorism."
SEE ALSO: UPDATE: Almost 200 Of Hostages Reported At Algeria BP Facility
Malian Rebels Are Blending Into The Desert To Confound French-Backed Forces