Mauritanian soldiers arrest ’important collaborator’ of ’Al-Qaeda in Islamin Magreb’ in neighboring Mali

Mauritanian soldiers have arrested an "important collaborator" of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in neighboring Mali, Mauritanian and Malian sources said Monday.

"We on Sunday arrested an important accomplice of AQIM, a collaborator of the terrorists who supported them against us, particularly during a clash on Malian territory," said a Mauritanian military source reached on the border, who asked not to be named. "He will be tried and judged," the source added.

The arrest was confirmed by Elie Doukoure, an elected official in western Mali, near the border, who said that the arrested man was a Malian named Hamma Ould Ahmed. Accused of "collaboration with AQIM, he was arrested in a border zone between our two countries," Doukoure said.

Mauritania one month ago launched a vast operation to hunt down supporters and accomplices of the northwest African branch of Al-Qaeda in the Sahel, who "are as important as the AQIM fighters themselves," a source in Mauritania's security services said. "These accomplices report on the positions of our troops, sabotage our battle plans, and take food and supplies to AQIM. They will henceforth be dealt with the same way as we deal with the terrorists," the Mauritanian military source said.

Meanwhile, a team from the African Union has arrived in Mali to discuss steps to combat AQIM and will spend several days consulting officials in different ministries, a source in the security ministry said Monday.