Al-Sharia provides weapons to jihadists

Leaders in the “Sahara Emirate” of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb organisation (AQIM) and the Tawhid and Jihad organisation sent representatives to Libya to meet the Libyan Ansar Al-Shariah group. The meeting is intended to result in providing the Libyan branch of the militant salafist jihadist groups in North Mali with a shipment of heavy ammunition, according to informed sources, with the purpose of supporting militant militias. The Libyan Ansar Al-Sharia group had provided the Mulathamin Brigade lead with a weapon shipment. The Ansar Dine group lead by Ag Ghali, had also provided Al-Awar with a shipment of 4x4 wheel drive cars, which headed to North Mali through Niger. The same sources mentioned that Algerian security is aware of the activities of the Libyan Ansar Al-Sharia group, considered a branch of AQIM factions and that one of the group leaders is tracked for charges of financing militant jihadist groups, as well as Mokhtar Belmokhtar — one of the most dangerous leaders in Droudkel’s organisation. Other sources say that Libyan authorities are tracking the moves of the Ansar Al-Sharia group, but the general situation in the country delays the confrontation with the militias of the salafist jihadist group based in Benghazi. In addition, the salafi group militias have established recruitment camps in the Libyan south that attracts agents from other countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Morocco) who undergo advanced training in using weapons and war arts. Specialists see that the provision request at this particular time from the two allied groups (Al-Qaeda and the Tawhid and Jihad Movement) highlights their awareness of the coming difficult stage. Algerian authorities from the north, for example, are working on beleaguering the groups and have declared the border area between Algeria and the Azawad region a security restricted area, sending more than 10,000 soldiers to the region after the murder of an Algerian diplomat. On another level, the Azawads announced their rejection of the presence of non-Azawad militant brigades. The Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad worked on applying this concept in their meeting with Ansar Dine group lead by Azawad Ag Ghali where they demanded the departure of Qaeda and Tawhid and Jihad militias.