28 Sept 2011

‘Qaddafi protected by Tuareg’

Libya's new rulers believe Muammar Qaddafi may be hiding in the southern desert, possibly in a vast area near the Algerian border, under the protection of ethnic Tuareg fighters, an official said Wednesday.

tuareg

Revolutionary forces gained control of Tripoli and much of the rest of the North African nation late last month, but the longtime leader fled and has been trying to rally supporters from hiding as fighting continues on three fronts. His sons also escaped and there have been several unconfirmed reports about their whereabouts. (CBS)

NIGER-REBELS/

Rebel Touareg leader Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, rumoured to have acquired weapons from Libya and recruited some 20,000 al-Qaeda fighters in support of Moamer Kadhafi, died recently under suspicious circumstances. What implications does Bahanga’s death have on the stability of the Sahel region?
Zawaya Magharebia

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of ethnic Tuaregs left Mali to fight for Muammar Qaddafi. Now, some are returning home to tell their story on The Atlantic

Also see The Tuareg Rebellion of 2007-2009 on Wikipedia