The group currently known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has a colorful history dating back to the independence of Algeria. The Maghreb geographically includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The Maghreb region, which is at the meeting point of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, is one of the key energy suppliers of Europe and America. Owing to their geopolitical position the role of these countries is very significant from the point of view of the Western Mediterranean security. AQIM emerged from the harsh legacy of Algeria's civil war of the 1990s and government forces' eventual containment of the radical Islamist insurgency. Starting out as the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) in resistance to cancellation of elections, it later became the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) that merged in al-Qaeda in 2006. Although AQIM has had some success, it has not able to transform itself into a regional organization because of internal conflicts. Although it could be a major terrorist force at least problems in the organization may prevent it from expanding into the regional force that it desires to be.