Algeria says al Qaeda guards Sahara drug smugglers
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Algerian security forces have clashed repeatedly with al Qaeda rebels providing armed security escorts for drug smugglers in the Sahara desert, a senior Algerian official said on Monday.
The comments are fresh evidence of cooperation between al Qaeda's North African wing and drug smugglers in the Sahara region, a partnership that security officials say could make both groups a more potent threat. (Reuters)
