Sahara states counter al-Qaeda threat

Algeria, Mali, Niger and Mauritania are setting up a joint command heaquarters in southern Algeria to counter a growing al-Qaeda

threat in the Sahara Desert region.

The Algerian defence ministry announced on Wednesday the command headquarters will be based in the southern Algerian town of

Tamanrasset.

It comes after a recent meeting of senior officials from seven countries in the region who discussed ways to combat rising violence

by the fighters in the Sahara.

It has been said that Al Qaeda uses the vast open desert to its advantage.

Al Jazeera's Clayton Swisher reports.

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