France's military intervention has severely weakened jihadist militants' ability to establish sanctuary in northern Mali, but militant activity continues throughout the Sahel region. The insecurity in vast areas of southern Libya, which originally contributed to the emergency in Mali, still provides a potential staging area or safe haven to several internationalist militant organizations. Militants also continue to move freely across national borders in the Sahel, into countries with weak governments such as Libya, Mauritania, Niger and Tunisia.
Recent attacks against the French Embassy in Tripoli, the uranium mining facility in Arlit, Niger, and multiple attacks on French forces in Mali, have shown that France's actions against jihadist militants have increased the threat to French assets and civilians in the Sahel. There have been fears of operations in Mali leading to militant attacks within France itself, but so far this has failed to materialize; the biggest concern seems to be the threats within the Sahel, both against French interests and other countries in the region. As a result, France will be forced to continue its involvement in regional security to safeguard its economic and diplomatic activities.
