Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) is the North African al Qaeda node, headquartered in Algeria's mountainous Kabylie region. The group was formed when elements of the Armed Islamic Group and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat merged in 2006 to create the al Qaeda franchise. While AQIM has voiced intentions to broaden its operating environment and further align its methods and ideology with al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, during the past 18 months the group has been on the defensive. Due to increased counterterrorism efforts by Algeria and other regional governments, AQIM has limited its attacks to soft targets near its base of Tizi Ouzou, Bouria and Bordj Bou Arreridj provinces, known as the "triangle of death." All indications show that AQIM will continue to strike targets in this region, and the attacks will be less lethal than those the group executed from 2006 to 2008 in and around Algiers. While it is weaker and sub-commanders south of the main area of operation are growing more competitive and autonomous, AQIM is still considered a security threat by the Algerian government and other governments in the region.
