War Against al-Qaeda in Africa Could Take Decades

I think this piece really hits home, so it deserves a stand alone post.

At Telegraph UK:

Britain faces a battle against Islamic extremism in North Africa and the Sahara that could last for decades, David Cameron warned on Sunday.

The Prime Minister said that countering the rise of al-Qaeda-affiliated groups in the Sahel region will require an “iron resolve” and greater military, diplomatic and economic engagement with the region.

He spoke as it was confirmed that six British citizens had died after extremists took scores of hostages at a gas plant in eastern Algeria.

France on Sunday night called the hostage-taking “an act of war”.

Some of the dead were “executed” by their captors as Algerian forces stormed the In Amenas complex, William Hague confirmed.

One witness described how a Briton was forced to call out to colleagues to lure them out of hiding, then shot dead.

More at that top link.