Al Qaeda surges in Mali

Tuareg rebels working with al-Qaeda-linked jihadis conducted significant attacks against Mali’s ruling junta on Saturday. The rebels killed Defense Minister Sadio Camara with a car bomb and perpetrated other attacks on Bamako, the capital. They targeted Russian mercenaries employed by the junta and reportedly seized two major cities. Bible prophecy indicates that Russia’s influence in Africa will diminish and that radical Islam will spread through much of the region—until it is countered by Europe.