May 20, 2009: Algeria, Mali, Niger and Mauritania  have increased military cooperation along their border. This includes sharing intelligence and coordinating counter-terror operations. Algeria is also supplying the three other countries with weapons, ammunition and other military supplies. This is all part of an effort to clear al Qaeda groups, and bandits, out of the border region (which is largely desert, or semi-desert).

Islamic terrorist activity along the Mali and Niger borders has killed the tourism business down there. This has led to thousands of people losing their jobs and growing unrest. The three nations bordering southern Algeria are launching a series of military and police operations in the border area, in an effort to capture or kill the hundred or so Islamic terrorists known to be there.

Spanish police recently arrested 17 Algerian and Moroccan immigrants, who had formed a criminal gang. Police discovered that the gang was sending much of their profits back to Morocco and Algeria, to finance Islamic terrorist activities.

May 18, 2009: After three bomb attacks in an area 100 kilometers east of the capital in the last few days, a tip led police to an area where a group of Islamic terrorists were hiding. During the ensuing gun battle, six of the terrorists were killed.

May 16, 2009: Al Qaeda in Mali are  holding two Europeans, and their demand that Britain release a Jordanian Islamic terrorist by May 15th, or else the British man being held would be killed, was ignored. Instead of killing their British captive, they have now asked for a $13.5 million ransom. This is seen as an opening offer, and subject to reduction during negotiations. The terrorists apparently expect to get at least a few million dollars for their captives.

May 10, 2009: Three days of raids and patrols east of the capital left nine Islamic terrorists and three soldiers dead. The operations were seeking out terrorist camps and safe houses.

May 9, 2009: Mali began a large scale military operation, to find and destroy al Qaeda members operating along the Algerian border.

May 8, 2009: In eastern Algeria, a clash left four Islamic terrorists and two policemen dead.

May 7, 2009:  In a clash a hundred kilometers east of the capital, eight Islamic terrorists and two soldiers were killed.

May 3, 2009:  Al Qaeda in Mali are still holding two Europeans, and demanding that Britain release a Jordanian Islamic terrorist by May 15th, or else the British man being held will be killed.

May 2, 2009: Islamic terrorists ambushed and killed two  police investigators, 55 kilometers east of the capital.

April 30, 2009: A known al Qaeda leader, Abu Harith Al Libya, was killed by police near the Mali border.

April 29, 2009: Four Islamic terrorists were released from Mali jails, in return for the release last week of  two Canadians and two Europeans being held by al Qaeda kidnappers in Mali.