Alexander, who was speaking at a seminar on terrorism evolution, warned of the surge of AQIM’s attacks in recent years, adding that the terrorist group is easily recruiting militants from the polisario.

In this respect, he pointed to the strong link between AQIM, the polisario and south American drug cartels who aspire to make of the Sahel region a platform for drug and human trafficking to Europe.

Echoing him, former top intelligence official at the Department of Homeland Security Charles Allen said that AQIM, which considers attacks on European soil, has specialized in hostage taking for ransoms as a means to fund its operations, recalling that the terrorist group has abducted several westerners, some of whom are still held hostage.

For his part, Morocco’s Ambassador to Washington Aziz Mekouar said that countering AQIM requires an effective regional and international cooperation, expressing concern over the kidnappings by Al Qaeda militants in the Sahel.

Speaking on the same occasion, Spain’s Ambassador to Washington Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo also expressed his country’s concerns regarding the proliferation of AQIM’s activities in the Sahel region and the involvement of this terrorist group in drug trafficking, underlining the need for a close cooperation between intelligence services to fight this threat.