Friday’s assault on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako must be seen in context of France’s role in Mali counter-terrorism operationsThe attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako,reportedly carried out by al-Qaida affiliate al-Mourabitoun, has compounded interest in terrorism in the region, and in fraction because it comes in the wake of the attack in Paris. Whether there is a connection between the two is an important question,given the presence of French nationals in the hotel, as well as the ongoing military involvement of France in Mali’s fight against terrorism.
While many have concentrated on whether the hotel attack was the work of Islamic State – it was not – the more concrete worry should be what this attack demonstrates while the French regional anti-terrorism operation continues.
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Source: theguardian.com