The New York Times quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the terrorist attack against a Malian hotel:
J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, a policy research group in Washington, said he was not surprised by the assault on the Radisson hotel.
Although the French-led military intervention in early 2013 ousted militants from their control of the northern two-thirds of Mali, Mr. Pham said the African Union and United Nations forces that largely replaced French troops in much of the country have seen little more than garrison duty in a few towns.
“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.