In Search of the Tuareg: The Veiled People of the Sahara

The Tuareg are the best known inhabitants of the Sahara; desert people where the men wear the veil, not the women. Among Westerners the mystique of these nomads engenders a romantic allure, but in Mali, Niger, Libya, Burkina Faso and Algeria – the five countries which encompass their homeland – they are often regarded with hostility and contempt, especially since some forged links with al Qaida or ISIS. Dutch journalist Gerbert van der Aa has traveled in Tuareg lands for 30 years, and was himself once kidnapped at gunpoint. He meets daredevil smugglers, humble gardeners, ageing mercenaries and jaded politicians in a quest to unravel the region’s complex politics. Also available in paperback. More info at: www.vanderaa-publishing.com