A string of unusual attacks by al Qaeda’s North African branch could shed some light on the jihadist group’s latest predicament. Pressure is mounting on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to counter the Islamic State’s growing encroachment on its territory, resources and pool of recruits. The rise of an effective rival for the helm of global jihadism has forced al Qaeda to step up its game, especially in areas where it has been weakened. Northern Africa — and particularly Mali, where France’s military intervention has significantly degraded AQIM‘s capabilities over the past few years — is one such place.
The reversal of AQIM’s fortunes by both the Islamic State and France may be the motive behind the group’s recent spate of attacks against soft targets in African cities, such as the Hotel Splendid in Burkina Faso and the Grand Bassam resort in Ivory Coast. As the group strives to remain relevant in the face of numerous threats to its position in the region, it will likely continue to ramp up its attacks against Western targets in countries that lack the security resources to defend them.
In December 2015, al-Mourabitoun — a breakaway faction of AQIM led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar — rejoined al Qaeda’s North African branch after nearly three years of estrangement. The reunion has had a noticeable impact on both the tempo and selected targets of terrorist activity in West Africa ever since. The groups’ cooperation reflects a key strength of al Qaeda’s broader franchise structure: flexibility. The ability of various al Qaeda nodes to work with one another or on their own gives the group two major advantages over its enemies: better funded and more dynamic groups, and the ability to leverage small, local militant groups for its own purposes.
AQIM will need these advantages if it is to rebuild its presence in the region. With AQIM’s local and regional goals in mind, the group’s recent high-profile, low-cost attacks serve two purposes. For one, they undercut regional security while making local governments appear incapable of protecting their people. However, they also attract international attention to al Qaeda, reminding like-minded jihadists — and the world — that the Islamic State is not the only powerful contender for leadership of the global jihadist movement.
This article appeared at ZeroHedge.com at: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-04-06/squeezed-rivals-al-qaeda-fights-stay-relevant
