The US military is planning to establish a base for drones in northwest Africa on the Mali-Niger border, with the alleged justification of having greater surveillance of Islamist groups in the region.

 

US officials told the New York Times that the drone base would be used for unarmed drones only, but that is highly unlikely. Armed drones – a secret, unaccountable way to bomb unidentified groups of people in foreign countries – have become the central “counter-terrorism” tool at the Obama administration’s disposal.

The Pentagon is using the US-backed French military intervention in Mali as a way to justify the drone base.

“This is directly related to the Mali mission, but it could also give Africom a more enduring presence for I.S.R.,” one US military official told the Times, referring to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.