Anti-terror force in Sahel relocated its Headquarters

Ahmed Adel

Anti-terror force in Sahel (G5) held a meeting in the Nigerian capital Niamey last Thursday to move the headquarters.

In an attempt to protect itself against any attacks by the terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Ansar al-Islam, the G5 move the headquarters from Safari, to its capital Bamako in the south.

The Niger army’s Chief of Staff, “Ahmed Mohamed” said that Safari is a strategic target for those terrorist groups.

Anti-terror force in Sahel

The G5 was founded in 2015, comprising Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso. The coalition has 5,000 troops, led by Mauritanian General Hanena Ould Sidi. The coalition also supported by a French and other American forces, to eliminate the terrorists who pose a threat in that region.

The Safari region is considered a security hazard because of its location near the controlled-areas of Ansar al-Islam (al-Qaeda arm, led by Eyad Ag Ghali).

Recently, al-Qaeda attacked G5 headquarters, killing six soldiers and injuring others.

The relocation of the G5 has a strategic importance; the forces want to secure the headquarters of the terrorist groups in northern Mali.

Brigadier Samir Ragheb, the military expert, said that relocation of the G5’s headquarters comes within the framework of preserving the lives of the leaders to reduce the depletion of the forces.

In a statement to the “reference”, Ragheb predicted that G5 forces would carry out operations in the coming period, once the intelligence information about terrorist movements was available.

He also added “It is possible to rely on an advanced field headquarter to confront the terrorist elements.

On the other hand, Dr. Mohamed Ezzeddine, researcher in African affairs, criticized the decision, explaining that the relocation of the headquarters is a transfer of the fight against terrorism to the center of Mali.

Ezzeddine stressed that the relocation of the headquarters may cause more loss of life among civilians.