Pentagon on Al-Qaeda in N. Africa: "We have bitten into their leadership"

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (KUNA) -- Despite growing concern over Al-Qaeda's presence in North Africa, the Pentagon on Tuesday said the US has "decimated the top tier of the group".
Defense Department spokesman George Little told reporters that although Al-Qaeda's North African branch, referred to as the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, (AQIM) remains a serious threat, "We have bitten into their leadership".
AQIM emerged out of Algeria's civil conflict and has expanded south into the Sahara, raising its profile in recent years with hit-and-run attacks and kidnappings of westerners.
"The overall trend line is very positive. We have disrupted much of Al-Qaeda's network, but we have much more work to do," Little said.
The Pentagon said there are no plans for unilateral military action in AQIM hot spots in Mali or elsewhere in the region where the terrorist network operates. However, it is paying close attention to the situation.
"We continue to focus very much on partner capacity-building and working with countries in the region and with regional organizations to build their capacity and to help them address their security challenges, that is our current focus," Little said on the issue.
The United States estimates militant organizations received USD 120 million over the past decade, including the ransoms paid to AQIM. (end) hy.bs KUNA 022313 Oct 12NNNN