Guerrilla Warfare Emerges in Mali

Jihadist resistance against French and African intervention forces in Mali has evolved into a guerrilla-style insurgency over the past week, as demonstrated in a string of recent attacks and ambushes around the city of Gao and in the northern mountains. Since beginning operations in the country in early January, French troops have retaken several urban jihadist strongholds, facing relatively minimal resistance along the way. Now, France is ostensibly preparing to hand over the main elements of the operation to African forces. But the emergence of insurgent tactics, the difficulty of uprooting jihadists from their northern mountainous redoubts and possible complications with Tuareg factions highlight the serious challenges of stabilizing Mali that remain.