Extremism in Mali is spreading across borders in the Sahel region of Africa. A few weeks ago terrorist groups shot down a helicopter, killing 13 French soldiers — the largest loss of life for the country’s military forces in nearly four decades. After a deadly terror attack in Niger that killed 71 soldiers, French President Emmanuel Macron and Sahel country leaders of the G5 group agreed to postpone their meeting in France to early 2020. The leaders will talk about the purpose of France’s military presence in the region and what’s being done to fight against terrorist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda. Host Marco Werman speaks with Aly Tounkara, founder and director of the Center for Security and Strategic Studies in the Sahel, about why there has been an increase in extremism in the region.The Malian desert blues band Tinariwen have celebrated their 40th anniversary this year. Formed in Tessalit, in the north of Mali, the band have become musical ambassadors for Mali despite the huge difficulties they faced during the 2012 coup.
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