For Those Who Don’t KNow - A BreakDown of Whos Who In Timbuktu
The main rebel and Islamist groups and leaders (5.7.12)
MNLA (Tuareg nomads wanting a separate state)
The MNLA is a very recent organisation. It was created in September 2011 with
the arrival of ex-soldiers from Libya after the fall of Gaddafi. They would like a
separate state from Mali for the Tuareg.
Leaders
Bilal Ag Chérif, is primary leader as General Secretary of the MNLA. He studied
in Libya.
Mohamed Ag Najim, emigrated to Libya after the big drought of 1973 He has
had a brilliant military career and ranked as Colonel and Guide to the Libyan
army. Today he is a driving force of MNLA.
Nina Wallet Intalou qualified as « passionaria » of Malian Tuaregs. She is the
only woman in the direction of MNLA. She was elected mayor of Kidal in N
Mali in 1997, but could never carry out her duties because the Islamists refused
to recognise a woman as Mayor. She is close to Mohamed Ag Najim and is
tenaciously opposed to Ansar Dine, and Iyad Ag Ghali because of his links to Al
Qaeda (AQIM). She feels Ag Ghali can never be pardoned because of the harm
he has done to their cause.
The MNLA possess heavy armaments from Libya.
FNLA (National Front for the liberation of Azawad)
A new organisation created on 8 April 2012 during the crisis in the north, who are
neither sessessionists nor islamists, made up of Moors and Arabs. They are for
peace and do not want a separate state, but to continue to be part of Mali.
Leaders
Mohamed Lamine Ould Sidatt, an elected leader from the region of Timbuktu is
their General Secretary.
Housseine Khoulam, lieutenant-colonel of the Malian army who defected. He is
military chief.
Al-Qaïda in Maghreb Islamic (AQIM)
AQIM was created in September 2006 following the dissolution of the Salafist
Group for preaching and Combat (GSPC) It came from the Armed Islamic
Group of Algeria, (GIA). They are very well armed. Egyptian military who are
close to Al Qaïda have trained the combattants in the use of sophisiticated
weaponry.
Leaders
Abou Zeid, An Algerian born in Touggourt, a has faught in the ranks of the
GSPC.
Mokhtar Belmokhtar, Algerian born in the region of m’Zab. He is involved with
trafficking of Nigerian migrants and drugs to Europe.
Yahya Abou Hammam, an Algerian in charge of military operations.
Ansar Dine ‘Defense of Islam’
In the rebel-held areas, this group is doing all the beatings and terrorising of
Malian people. They have destroyed many holy Islamic saints’ sites in Timbuktu,
are introducing Sharia law, and killing Christians
Leaders
Iyad Ag Ghali Leader of the Islamist group. A Malian who, at the age of 20 went
to Libya to learn Arabic and has spent 40 years in Ghaddafi’s army. ’
Movement for united Jihad in West Africa (Mujao)
Have now taken over from the Tuareg independence groups. They originate in
a black African section of of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and are made up of
Mauritanians, Nigerians and Malians.
They have gathered 45m euros from ransoms from kidnapped western hostages
Their leader is an Arab from Gao, Sultan Ould Baldi, from the Hamrare tribe.
Like many of the Islamist terrorists, he is involved with trafficking drugs since the
route from S America to Europe moved to the Sahara.
The second in command is Mauritanian Abou Qoumqoum. born 1970 in
Nouakchott.
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