Camel caravans from North Africa carried bars of salt as well as cloth, tobacco, and metal tools across the Sahara to trading centers like Djenne and Timbuktu on the Niger River. Some items for which the salt was traded include gold, ivory, slaves, skins, kola nuts, pepper, and sugar.
By creating another frontline for Germany, the Allies basically forced Germany to split up their forces, weakening their already losing campaign against the Soviets.
