Turning the Sahel on its head: the 'truth' behind the headlines

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Periodical article

Title:	Turning the Sahel on its head: the 'truth' behind the headlines
Author:	Keenan, Jeremy
Year:	2006
Periodical:	Review of African Political Economy
Volume:	33
Issue:	110
Pages:	761-769
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Sahel Algeria Libya United States
Subjects:	international politics terrorism covert operations intelligence services rebellions Tuareg
External link:	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056240601119307
Abstract:	Three 'news stories' concerning the Sahel have made the headlines in 2006: the Tuareg 'rebellion' at Kidal in Mali on 23 May; the hostage-taking of Italian tourists around the Niger-Chad border area on 21 August, and a gun battle between Malian Tuareg rebels and GSPC (Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat) 'terrorists' in northern Mali on 27 September. The reporting of these stories has reinforced the impression that the Sahel has become an increasingly dangerous 'terrorist' zone. However, the author's ongoing research of the region indicates that these incidents belong to the realm of the 'phantasmatic'. He explains the events mentioned, paying attention amongst others to the interest of Libya's leader Qadhafi in the Sahel, and argues that, in the context of the 'war on terror', the launch of a 'second' or Saharan front in this war in 2002/2003 has been fabricated largely by US-Algerian military intelligence interests. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]