Security in the Sahel: Bamako summit postponed

The summit on peace and security in the Sahel-Sahara band, scheduled Thursday in Bamako with the leaders of Mali, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Libya and Chad was postponed again, according to the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday.

•     "The summit was postponed again. Heads of State have announced a timetable when we want the physical presence of all", said to the press an official of the Department under cover of anonymity.
  
      Postponed several times over several months, the summit would also focus on the development of this vast desert region that faces serious security problems.
  
      Present in Algeria, Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb has in recent years expanded its activities in northern Mali, where it held hostage, in 2008, Two Austrian tourists, and launched several attacks in Mauritania.
  
      The new report of the regional summit comes as Al Qaeda claimed the kidnapping in recent weeks of two Canadian diplomats and four European tourists in Niger, in an audio recording broadcast by Al-Jazeera satellite channel in the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
  
      Mali and Niger are also faced with Touareg rebellions in the north of their respective territories, while Chadian rebels have made several attempts to overthrow the power of N'Djamena in recent years.
  
   
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.