Rise to Power

• AQIM has risen to greater power recently by taking advantage of the instability caused in the region by the Arab Spring.

Rise to Power• A recurring theme in the region with all of

these conflicts is the usurping of the power vacuum left when many of the Arab strongman fell in the region. – Similar to AQI when the Saddam regime fell

Rise to Power

• During NATO operations supporting the rebels in Libya, many AQIM militants fought on the side of the rebels– Now some of the same

weapons given to them by NATO nations are in AQIM hands and being used against the Mali government and possibly against the US and our allies. Stolen BMP (Russian APC) after

fall of Gaddafi in Libya

Rise to Power

• AQIM seized this opportunity to pretty much operate freely in the region moving weapons and establishing well connected cells and networks.

• AQIM moved discretely blending in with the fighters against the Gaddafi regime, and rebel fighters of the Tuareg minority in Mali who are fighting for independence.

• Once they no longer needed to blend in they began an offensive to seize the weak Malian government, which has been highly successful and has created the security threat we see today