Al-Qaeda 's North African branch , al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb ( AQIM ) , threatened Warning retribution against the Shia Muslim group , saying Telling in a statement Statement that it knew Know `` with certainty '' that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack .

The conflict succeeded the conclusion of the Algerian Civil War as the militant group Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat ( GSPC ) allied Collaboration itself with al-Qaeda to eventually become Becoming al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb ( AQIM ) .

In 2012 , AQIM and Islamist allies captured Conquering the northern half of Mali , until being fought Hostile_encounter back less than a year later following a French-led foreign intervention Preventing_or_letting , which was succeeded by the Sahel-wide Operation Barkhane .

In Libya the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ) has been able to control Control some limited Limiting territory in the ongoing civil war Hostile_encounter since 2014 , amid allegations of local collaboration between the otherwise rivalling AQIM and ISIL .