In two words, Mali is a cluster fuck.
The group that claimed responsibility for killing US Soldiers back in October claimed an attack against the French with a VBIED (
http://businessinsider.com/r-islamic...n-niger-2018-1).
Given the comments by the UN in the first listed article, it looks like it'll only get worse. Seems crazy, but one of the most powerful Al Qa'ida networks in the world is located there and is a part of JNIM which has been targeting the French and UN forces since the umbrella founded a year ago.
Thoughts from the QP's here on the outlook?