Soldiers Declare Coup in Mali - NYTimes.com

Soldiers Declare Coup in Mali - NYTimes.com: "Apart from the rebellion in the north, Mali has acknowledged in the past that several hundred fighters from Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb have found sanctuary in its desert reaches, although most are believed to be Mauritanians and Algerians.

In recent years, the Qaeda affiliate has left a trail of violence across Mauritania, Niger, Algeria and Mali, taking aim at tourists, expatriate workers, local residents and security forces. Hostages taken in the porous border regions have been executed or ransomed."

'via Blog this'