Terrorism: Saharan countries open anti-qaeda command HQ in Algeria

Xinhua reports four Saharan countries are opening a joint command headquarters in southern Algeria in a bid to untie efforts against terrorism and a growing threat of al- Qaida's North Africa branch.

The command headquarters for Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Niger is being officially inaugurated Wednesday in the town of Tamanrasset, in the Saharan desert about 2,000 km south of the Algerian capital Algiers, a statement by the Algerian Defense Ministry said.

The joint command aims to oversee the intelligence and military cooperation between the Saharan countries in operations against terrorism, kidnappings and trafficking, the statement said. However, it did not give details about the capabilities of the command or the powers it would have.

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