Analysis: Al Qaeda groups reorganize in West Africa | FDD's Long War Journal

"Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud (also known as Abdelmalek Droukdel) is the emir of AQIM. As such, he is responsible for overseeing the jihadists’ efforts throughout North and West Africa on behalf of al Qaeda’s senior leadership. Like other regional emirs, he has sworn an oath of fealty (bayat) to Zawahiri, al Qaeda’s global chief. Zawahiri, in turn, has pledged his own loyalty to the Taliban’s leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada."
Just in case anyone forgot AQ is on the full rebuild -- and competing with IS in West Africa.