Militant Advances in Mali Threaten West Africa, Nigeria Warns

The capture of a key Malian town by rebel forces last month poses a regional threat that requires foreign intervention to prevent the insurgency from spreading, Nigeria’s defense minister said.

A series of coordinated attacks by militants in late April left Mali’s defense minister dead and forced Malian and Russian mercenary forces to withdraw from the northeastern stronghold of Kidal. The international community must come together to deal with the insurgents before they wreak havoc, Christopher Musa said in an interview.