The New York Times quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham the change in strategy of extremists in Africa:
The hotel siege illustrates how Islamic extremists in Mali have changed their tactics in recent years, according to J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, a policy research group in Washington.
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Since then, though, African Union and United Nations forces have largely replaced French troops in much of the country, and Mr. Pham said that those forces have done little more than garrison a few towns, leaving vast stretches of the country where extremists can and have regrouped.
“The militants have also shifted strategy away from attempting to seize and hold territory to attacking high-profile targets that have the double objective of hitting foreigners and garnering attention,” Mr. Pham said.