A senior security official warned that Ansar Dine has reemerged as a threat and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelkrim al-Targui “is closing in too.” Kidal residents complained of the continuing presence of extremist groups. The Malian military is trying to combat sleeper cells in areas such as Gao and Timbuktu. The reconciliation minister for the north said that “rebels, terrorists, and drug traffickers switch between Ansar Dine, MUJAO, and AQIM.” The MINUMSA force in Mali is still at less than half its planned 12,600-man strength.
