Mali's National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a Tuareg opposition group, on Feb. 8 reportedly seized control of Tinzawatene, a town along Mali's northern border with Algeria. The Malian armed forces and the MNLA have clashed since Jan. 16 in cities across Mali's northern desert. Mali's geography makes it difficult for the country's military to maintain and supply forces — let alone to commit reinforcements. Mali's government facilities, population centers, and economic hubs are concentrated in the south, a region known as the Sahel. By contrast, northern Mali is a vast expanse of Saharan desert characterized by extreme temperatures, rough terrain and long distances between towns and cities. This area has historically experienced minimum government presence or formal control. The increase in rebel activity in the north demands a government mobilization — but the rebellion will not be easily quelled. If the MNLA can hold the town, it could use Tinzawatene's location to take advantage of the intricate network of Saharan smuggling routes. These extend from Algeria's Ahoggar Mountains (which served as AQIM's original base of operations for kidnapping tourists in 2003) to Mali's Tin Assalat Mountains in the east (the MNLA's own base of operations) and beyond. The smuggling routes avoid heavily trafficked and closely monitored water points and main roads that go through the cities of Tessalit and Aguelhoc. The ability to be unexposed and mobile in the northern desert using these routes is an enormous practical benefit, and the reason Tinzawatene's location along the middle of these routes is significant.
