France/Mali/Terrorism: French interests threatened due to media reports

According to the Algerian press, France has recently shipped weapons and military supplies to Mauritania and Mali to support their fight against Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). It added that Paris and Madrid had decided to form about 600 military and intelligence officers from these countries to counterterrorist techniques. 

The reports haven’t been officially confirmed, but it could threaten the live of the 6 European hostages still held by AQIM in Mali: French citizen Pierre Camatte; the 3 Spanish aid workers, Albert Vilalta, Alicia Gamez and Roque Pascual, who have been kidnapped Sunday November, 29 and an the 2 Italian nationals Sergio Cicala and Philomène Kabouree, who have been  kidnapped in the same country on Friday December, 18.

Moreover, the increased support by France, Spain and the United Stated could prompt AQIM to take retaliatory actions against western interests in North Africa in the near future.