Abstract

Since Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) pledged allegiance to Ben Laden in 2007, they have increased their attacks against security forces in the Sahel and used kidnapping of Western citizens to spread propaganda and increase its wealth. AQIM activities (armed attacks and trafficking) deteriorated security in the region with disastrous consequences for the daily life of the local populations. After months of negotiations, Algeria and its Sahel neighbors finally established a counterterrorist cooperation against AQIM through the General Staff Joint Operations Committee in April 2010. They also receive financial and military support from external actors such as France, the European Union and the United States.

Key words : AQIM, Sahel, terrorism, coopération, socio-economic impacts.