United Nations "peacekeepers" in the disputed African territory of Western Sahara have vandalized ancient rock paintings, a UN official told the London Times. The paper published photos of the paintings at the archaeological site of Lajuad, some 6,000 years old—defaced with spray paint. Julian Harston, the UN official responsible for Western Sahara, said he was shocked by the vandalism, and that funds would be sought from UNESCO to remove the graffiti. UN peacekeepers were deployed in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire between Moroccan occupation forces and the Polisario Front independence movement.

In a statement on its website, the Nigérien Justice Movement (MNJ) claimed a Jan. 22 attack on Tanout in the Zinder district of Niger, in which at least three soldiers were killed, six wounded and nine others, including the town's prefect, were taken captive. (IRIN, Afriquenligne, Jan. 22) The French nuclear company Areva has signed a deal with Niger to open a second uranium mine in the west of the country, in return for increasing payments to the government by 50%. Protested MNJ commander Aghaly ag-Alambo: "The company has already worked here for 30 years but the local population hasn't even benefited from 1 percent of this wealth." (Financial Times, Jan. 15)

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for the Jan. 2 suicide bombing in Algeria that killed five and injured 20. At 6:45 AM, a small truck laden with explosives drove at high speed towards a police station in Naciria, east of Algiers in the wilaya of Boumerdès. The driver reportedly detonated the Toyota Hilux after he was ordered to stop by police. In a statement aired by Al Arabiya TV, al-Qaeda franchise spokesman Salah Abou Mohammad said the truck carried at least 500 kilogrmas of explosives. A 10-year-old girl on her way to buy milk was among those killed by the blast. Algerian army forces immediately sealed off Naciria and began conducting "military operations" in nearby Sid Ali Bounab, a reported al-Qaeda stronghold. (Magharebia, Jan. 3)

Niger's army reports soldiers shot dead seven Tuareg civilians "by accident" in a fire-fight with rebels from the Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ) in the Tiguidit region, some 80 kilometers northeast of the provincial capital Agadez. Officials say the civilians were shot when their four Toyota pickups strayed onto the battlefield. Two of those killed were well-known Tuareg traders, Sidi Amar and Ousmane Sidi. "This accident has deeply affected the army which has in its ranks a member of the family of one of those killed," read the Defense Ministry's Dec. 10 statement, claiming residents had been warned of military operations in the area.

Two car bombs detonated on the morning of Dec. 11 at an Algiers court building and a UN facility, leaving over 60 dead, scores injured and more still missing in the rubble of collapsed buildings. When the first bomb exploded at 9:40 AM outside the Constitutional Council in the downtown district of Ben Aknoun, it was heard up to 15 kilometers away. A bus carrying law students to class along the major thoroughfare was crushed in the blast. Just as first responders were arriving the site of the bombing, a second car bomb destroyed the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the neighboring residential district of Hydra. (Magharebia, Dec. 11)

From the International Federation of Journalists, Nov. 23, via AllAfrica:

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged President Mamadou Tandja of Niger to take strong action for the release of two journalists accused of criminal offences following their coverage of the Tuareg rebellion in Niger.

The entire population of northern Niger's remote desert town of Iferouane has fled, a local official told BBC last week. Deputy mayor Mohammed Oumma said 5,000 residents were displaced following army reprisals in operations against Tuareg guerillas. The government in Niamey denies that Iferouane, home to several uranium mines, has become a ghost town. (BBC, Nov. 19) President Mamadou Tandja Nov. 23 prolonged an emergency zone in Niger's desert north region of Agadez, extending for a further three months the "state of alert" declared in August. (Reuters, Nov. 23)

The government of Niger reports three soldiers were wounded and four are missing after Tuareg rebels attacked a civilian convoy escorted by the military Nov. 9. The rebel Movement of the People of Niger for Justice (MNJ) claimed it had killed 15 soldiers and captured four. They also said they had destroyed three military vehicles and seized another, but denied having attacked civilians. The ambush took place on the road between Agadez, the regional capital of the desert region of that name, and Arlit to the north.