Al-Qaeda may take advantage of Middle East unrest: US official

Algiers (Algeria), Mar 5(ANI): A senior US official has warned Algeria that terrorist groups in the region may exploit the Middle East unrest.

The coordinator for anti-terrorism at the Department of State Daniel Benjamin said that instability would be in favor of terror groups, which should make us to be more vigilant and prudent, Xinhua news agency reports.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is a splinter group of the international militant operation, "is always seeking to exploit what is going on in the region," Benjamin said during a press conference held at the U. S. Embassy in Algiers.

"I don't think we should expect terrorists to stand by and it is an opportunity for them to gain ground," he added.

Benjamin was visiting Algeria where he discussed with local authorities on bilateral cooperation over tackling terrorism. (ANI)