The Real War is Offscreen

Malian update and moves around it

We seem to be in a rather short lived lull - or at least nothing more than more of the same in our most recent war theaters. I found a scene from our shadow war happening across North Africa and through the Sahel. The Nigerian protests we just saw are no accident, nor are they natural - like all the rest. Let's take a first look in recent happenings in Mali. And then wind up with some ancillary narratives that are likely attached at least loosely to the bigger picture.

I am going to post these in the order I came across them. I started saving this bunch on July 28, while we were still chin high in multiple narratives. It took a few days to really confirm the extent and aggregate the total story at this juncture. So the feed starts with more usual pieces for illustrating how this narrative blew up from the desert in literal sandstorm fashion.

A Russian channel familiar with African politics provides further detail on this unexpected tragedy
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Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique, AQIM) claims a “complex ambush against the Wagner Group.” The official statement states that 50 Wagenrs were killed, and 10 soldiers of the Malian army were killed. There are already dozens of videos of evidence of both the battle itself and the situation after it. Including I counted 5 of our guys captured

In the video presented, a certain Emir Abdel Rahmae Zaza (he is in the center) takes responsibility for the attack. His name is not googled anywhere, and for the first time it “pops up” in this statement.

The group has no direct connection with al-Qaeda but is a fundamentalist Salafi terror squad operating near the Algerian border.
The group's leadership is entirely Algerian and the ordinary fighters are Tuaregs.
That is, this is precisely a jihadist group and is not directly related to the Tuareg separatist movements🔸

🔸Continued
2/2
This group has its own history, declines and growth in activity it is however considered the most dangerous in this region.

☝️ A very, very muddy story with the Wagner group’s raid on the border with Algeria. And, at the very least, it is strange that our “reliable” Algerian allies neither provided assistance nor warned us.

It is also characteristic that in the video one of the militants was seen carrying NATO weapons, in particular an FN FAL rifle of 7.62x51 mm caliber.

#wagner #algeria #zaza #maghreb
⤴↩no_mainstreamW🔸

🔸It is correct, and Lotos was one of the exchanged persons after the attack happened with some other commanders.
So quite a big blow and we will have to wait if Wagner will release any more info through Grayzone at all.
I am getting my informations from various France hired/paid journalists that live and operate in Sahel and are of Touareg origins. They are on twitter.

Definitely a hard blow to Wagner  that was caught by surprise with attackers using sand storm and terrain configuration.

As these terrorist orgas are now joining together signing pacts that never existed imo that means that french secret service and French Foreign Legion specialists are trying to create chaos and use that to inflict damage onto Wagner and Alliance of Sahel States (ASS).🔸

🔸Mali - Wagner - Alliance of Sahel States

Recently there were many successful operations done by armies of the ASS against the terrorists that have been pushed all the way to the north close to Algerian border.

What happened in the last 2 days is obviously a multilayered operation by western intelligence (French) so create a blow to Mali (Fama) and Wagner and cause chaos.

Volume of orchestrated posts on Twitter by the western media/agency paid assets is astonishing.

Now the terrorists are claiming that they are willing to transfer captured Wagner fighters to Ukraine as a sign of their support to Ukrainian fight against “evil Russia.”🔸

Official Duma statement about the latest Mali Azawad ambush against Wagner and FAMA forces.

https://x.com/zlatti_71/status/1817502555028562123?s=52&t=4Kq_uFzN8-oYHR4UzcqENg ⤴↩private account🔸

Rybar summary of events:

Since July 20th, the Malian armed forces, supported by the Wagner PMC, have intensified reconnaissance and search operations on the Algerian border. These activities were conducted with limited forces to identify positions of militants from the "Azawad Coordination Movement" and Al-Qaeda-affiliated group known as "Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin."

On July 22nd, advanced groups raided In-Afarak, where only fuel storage facilities were found in the settlement. After the army, which had announced taking control of the village, retreated, Tuareg rebels reoccupied the area.

At the same time, a convoy of up to 20 vehicles advanced towards the city of Tin-Zaouatene, the last major stronghold of the "Azawad" militants in the area.

On July 23rd, government forces reached Bougessa. As they advanced towards their goal, the convoy was hit by an IED planted by separatists in the Wadi Tamassahart valley.

On July 25th, government forces encountered "Azawad" rebels 20 kilometers from the city. The first day of the battle yielded results: the militants were pushed to within 7 km of the city, and some groups reached a small camp 2 km from the Algerian border. One of the enemy field commanders was also eliminated.

While the army convoy numbered at most seventy soldiers, the rebels concentrated a force of up to 900 fighters in Tin-Zaouatene, moving their reserves there. The ensuing battles were interrupted by a sandstorm, causing both sides to withdraw troops from the combat line.

The next day, the fighting resumed under the initiative of the enemy. The Tuaregs attacked the field camps and managed to disable part of the armored vehicles. The arriving army aviation was ineffective due to weather conditions, and one Mi-24 was fired upon with anti-aircraft weapons, making a hard landing in Kidal.

On July 27th, government forces began retreating from the outskirts of the city as the Tuaregs continued to bring in reserves. At that time, militants from the Malian branch of "Al-Qaeda," specifically "Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin," acting in concert with the "Azawad Movement," ambushed the Malian Armed Forces and Wagner PMC convoy near the Tin-Ghamira mountains, mining the area.

After the explosion and assault by the Al Qaeda fighters, the Tuaregs arrived, trapping the remaining Malian and Russian forces. The battle ended in a rout and the capture of survivors. Among the killed Wagner PMC fighters was Nikita (call signs "Bely" and "Pyatisotyy"), the administrator of the Grey Zone channel. His death was confirmed by friendly sources.

[...] Wagner PMC, along with the "African Corps", promptly negotiated the ransom of prisoners, concluding two deals. ↩t.me/RWApodcast🔸

🔸🇷🇺🇲🇱⚡- Wagner officials confirm huge reinforcements on the way to Mali, from Russia, Syria and Central African Republic. ↩t.me/rnintel🔸

🏳️🇲🇱🛸 Yesterday, a well-known Tuareg military leader, Colonel Hassan Ag Fagaga, was killed by drone strikes in Tin Zautin, on the border with Algeria.🔸

🏳️ 🇲🇱 🛸 Pro-Azawadi again write about the downing of Bayraktar, although they did not provide evidence of the past

🇹🇷 At the same time, an Il-76 arrived in Mali from Tekirdag-Chorlu airport, from where Baykar sends its UAVs. It is not known for certain about the supply of the new batch🔸

🇲🇱🚗 Fuel crisis in Mali

⛽️For several months now, the price of gasoline in Gao continues to rise every morning. Yesterday morning, a liter of gasoline was sold at retail for 1,500 CFA francs, by evening the price had already reached 2,500 (≈370₽)

🇹🇬 The region's oil operators are struggling to import fuel, initially from the ports of Lomé and Cotonou, but also from neighboring Niger, which does not produce enough fuel.

🏳️ Some attribute this to the CSP blockade of roads from Algeria, where much of the fuel is imported.

🚛Oil transportation along the Gao-Niamey axis is also highly dependent on the security situation in the region, and tankers have to wait several days at the border for a military escort that will take them to Gao.🔸

🏴💥 JNIM took control of a new base in central Mali

🗺️🔎 Mourdia is located 200 km north of Bamako, near the border with Mauritania. Recently, FAMa carried out a local operation along it, eliminating three collaborators with terrorists.

🏳️ The further FAMa move north, occupying devastated cities, which did not even require video recording in the case of Aguelhok, because there is no population there , the more marginal cells move south ⤴↩t.me/departamente🔸

🔸Mali. What is known.
On their way back from the north, the column of officials and + attached Wagner units were ambushed. Azavadians are seen in the video. Nuances:
- the Azavadians also took responsibility
- Check with the Company for the number of dead prisoners. The Internet, of course, spreads a lot. We are waiting for the official.
- only the leadership of this formation has information on captured Wagners.

Regarding the ambush, I wrote earlier that there are fucking roads there that are easy to get stuck on. It's not a fuck up - it's beyond my competence.

We do not officially participate in the exchange. We don't have the funds, powers, etc. Contact official structures.

Well, the fact is that they cheated the admin +. We simply have the fastest egg in the Sahel. All barmalei love money (especially past the cash register and management). This is an axiom.🔸

🔸On the outskirts of the city of Tinzahuatin, a column of the Russian PMC "Wagner" and a patrol unit of the Malian armed forces were ambushed////official. for the military it becomes clear that the figures of 100+ bodies and so on, accelerated by roosters and crests, are not possible. In short, we turn on our brains and don’t fall for stuffing. - for hohlobots we are collecting money for a factory for you. will you chip in? possible in hryvnias🔸

Approximate map of the area where the battle took place. That is, it is clear that it is a hilly desert. Further on in Mali the topic is closed. We are waiting for official information from both the Wagners and Mali. The internal kitchen is none of our business. ⤴↩t.me/incognitoraf🔸

🇲🇱 Mali rebels say they killed and injured dozens of soldiers, Wagner men in fighting

Mali's northern Tuareg rebels said they had killed and injured dozens of government soldiers and Wagner men in two days of fighting near the Algerian border, after the army said it had lost two soldiers but killed some 20 rebels.

The rebel movement, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), said in a statement on Saturday that it had seized armoured vehicles, trucks and tankers in the fighting at the border town of Tinzaouaten on Thursday and Friday.

Several Russian military bloggers reported on Sunday that a number of soldiers from the Wagner group were killed in an ambush near the Algerian border.
#Mali ↩t.me/africaintel🔸

Mali rebels say they killed dozens of government troops, Wagner mercenaries
Tuareg rebels in northern Mali on Saturday said they had killed and injured dozens of government soldiers and mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group in fighting over two days near the border with Algeria. Mali’s army said two of its soldiers were killed and 10 were injured.
👉 Read more: https://f24.my/AVAx.g🔸

#Мали

🇲🇱 Scam incident: Mi-24 made an emergency landing

The air incident occurred on Friday, July 26, in the city of Kidal.

🚁 A Mi-24 military helicopter belonging to the Armed Forces of Mali (FAMa) was forced to make an emergency landing due to technical problems that arose shortly after takeoff.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
↩t.me/WesternAfrica🔸

🇲🇱 💀 Ambush near the city of Tinzavatin.

Azawad groups post materials about their victories and, unfortunately, they are confirmed by numerous photo and video documents.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wa-Muslimeen (JNIM) group said it carried out a “successful ambush” on Malian government forces and the Wagner private military company near the city. Tinzavatin. In addition, the Arab-Tuareg coalition “for the protection of the people of Azawad” also announced the defeat of government troops.

The militants attacked soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces and fighters of the Wagner PMC, who retreated from Tinzavatin to regroup. We will not name the number of deaths, nor will we post photos and videos. For those interested, they are already all over the Internet.

And even more so, without having combat experience and not having been there, we will not draw conclusions about why this happened, who is to blame and what to do.🔸

🇱🇾🇲🇱🇳🇪 Tuaregs in the service of Gaddafi and their expulsion from Libya

In connection with recent events, I would also like to mention Gaddafi’s role in training and equipping the Tuaregs.

The fact is that at one time it was the leader of the Jamahiriya who opened the door to Libya for the “blue people of the desert” who were homeless in Niger and Mali and first gave them shelter, and then began en masse to recruit them into his personal mercenary guard, “al-Kataib al-Amniya,” where they received full combat training and participated in combat operations, first in Chad and then in the events of 2011.

After the defeat of Gaddafi and the victory of the “revolution,” the new authorities, represented by armed groups, harshly gave a kick to all Tuaregs in Libya, sending them back to Niger and Mali to become homeless. Only some of them managed to leave for Mali along with weapons and pickup trucks, creating the fighting basis of the separatist movement.

In the photo: Libyan Tuaregs fleeing Libya to Niger after the overthrow of Gaddafi🔸

🇱🇾🇳🇪🇲🇱 Libyan National Army soldiers shut down a smuggling channel that could supply Tuareg militants with weapons

Just a week ago, desert lions from the 77th company of the 128th operational brigade of the LNA covered a weapons smuggling channel in the southwest of Libya, unwinding a cell of citizens of Chad and Niger who were transporting weapons to “neighboring countries.”

It is worth noting here that some of the Tuaregs expelled from Libya after the overthrow of Gaddafi settled in the north of Niger, on the border with Libya, and also live along the border with Algeria, and theoretically, according to some local sources, could supply weapons to Azawad militants.🔸

🇲🇱 The Bear on the Couch channel reported that servicemen of the Afrika Korps of the Russian Defense Ministry yesterday assisted in negotiations on the exchange of prisoners and provided military medics for the wounded.

“A whole major flew there with doctors and guards with AK. In general, a huge thank you to the Afrika Korps. To the unnamed (in the information field) major, just a deep bow. A huge thank you to the military doctors. No comments here.”
⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

🇲🇱 RT Acquires Footage of Ukrainian Mercenaries from Africa Working with Tuareg Separatists

RT has obtained footage of Ukrainian mercenaries from Africa working alongside Tuareg separatists. These photos were intended to be published by Nikita, the admin of the military channel GREY ZONE, known by the call signs Bely and Pyatisotiy. However, he did not manage to publish them, as he was reportedly killed during a Tuareg attack in Mali.

Bely also had information that the separatists were being taken to Ukraine for training — specifically on how to operate FPV drones.

According to RT sources, Nikita planned to visit the front line one last time before returning to publish the collected materials.
↩t.me/ukraine_watch🔸

⚡️ A column of Wagner troops was ambushed by Tuaregs in Mali, there were dead

According to preliminary data, in During the joint operation with the Malian army, the fighters came under fire. A number of resources report “dozens” of deaths. In addition, several pieces of equipment were allegedly shot down, as well as a Mi-24 helicopter.

Mali has faced a political and security crisis since jihadist and separatist insurgencies broke out in the north of the country in 2012. Tuareg rebels are trying to create an independent state in this territory, despite their small numbers. ↩t.me/PMCTchkvsky🔸

Commander of the 13th SHO, call sign “Rusich” (4 Orders of Courage, 2 Medals of Courage, Order of Merit to the Fatherland IV degree):

“Currently, on the territory of the Republic of Mali in the area of ​​​​the city of Tin-Zawatin, the Malian armed forces are conducting an operation with the support of Wagner PMC.

To be specific, they were supported by the 13th assault squad, in which, unfortunately, I commanded, but due to circumstances I left the company. But my people still remained there and finalized the contract.

At the moment, according to my information, there are more than 80 people there as a result of this operation. More than 15 people are in captivity. This concerns our Russian comrades, military personnel who represent the interests of Russia.

I, the commander of the 13th Assault Detachment, contacted people from the Afrika Korps and the Special Forces, trying to convey a message to the Deputy Minister of Defense.

I simply ask for help from the Ministry of Defense, from the Government of our Motherland in this matter. In turn, I am ready to provide myself and all those people who will be ready to follow me absolutely free of charge in order to save the boys. “I am ready to gather all the people who will be ready to fly there free of charge without any insurance payments, I will hire a charter and, together with these people, I will fly to Mali in order to help out our guys.”🔸

🇸🇩🇺🇦🇷🇺  Footage of Ukrainian special forces in operations against the Wagner PMC in Sudan has appeared.

➡️ Aren’t they busy in Ukraine?

The fact that Ukrainian special services may be behind the attacks on Wagner PMC units in Sudan began to be discussed after the publication of a CNN report.

The Sudanese authorities did not comment on the situation, as this could seriously affect relations with the Russian Federation. But if the presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Sudan is confirmed, this means that Ukraine is already being used to intervene in international conflicts, in particular, to counter the Russian Federation.
⤴↩t.me/MyLordBebo | X🔸

🔸🖼️>❗️🇲🇱🇷🇺 Intensification of fighting in northern Mali: ambush on Wagner PMC and death of @grey_zone admin

Since July 20th, the Malian armed forces, supported by the Wagner PMC, have intensified reconnaissance and search operations on the Algerian border. The activities were carried out with limited forces in order to identify the positions of militants from the "Coordination Movement of Azawad" and the Al-Qaeda affiliated group "Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin".

▪️On July 22nd, the advance groups carried out a raid in In-Afarak: only fuel depots were found in the settlement. After the army's retreat, which had managed to announce the village's capture, the Tuareg rebels again occupied the settlement.

At the same time, a convoy of up to 20 vehicles was moving towards the town of Tin-Zautin - the last major stronghold of the Azawad militants in this direction.

▪️On July 23rd, government forces reached Bougessa. As the column advanced towards the target, it was hit by an IED planted by the separatists in the Wadi Tamassaharit valley.

▪️On July 25th, government forces clashed with Azawad rebels 20 kilometers from the city. The first day of the battle brought its results: the militants were pressed against the city at a distance of 7 km, and some groups reached a small camp 2 km from the Algerian border. One of the field commanders was also eliminated.

📌If the army column numbered no more than seven dozen servicemen, the rebels concentrated a group of up to 900 people in Tin-Zautin, transferring reserves there. The ensuing battle was interrupted by a sandstorm: the parties withdrew their troops from the line of contact.

The next day, the battle resumed at the initiative of the enemy. The Tuaregs attacked the field camps and managed to destroy some of the armored vehicles. The army aviation that arrived to help was ineffective due to weather conditions, and one of the Mi-24 helicopters was shot at with anti-aircraft weapons: the helicopter made a hard landing in Kidal.

▪️On July 27th, government forces began to retreat from the outskirts of the city (the Tuaregs continued to bring up reserves). That's when the militants from the Malian branch of Al-Qaeda got involved: the "Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin" group, apparently acting in concert with the "Azawad Movement", set up an ambush on the column of the Malian Armed Forces and the Wagner PMC near the Tin-Gamira mountains, mining the area.

❗️After the explosion and the attack by the Al-Qaeda members, the Tuaregs arrived, trapping the remnants of the government and Russian forces. The battle ended in a rout and the capture of the survivors. Among the killed Wagner PMC fighters was the administrator of the @grey_zone channel, Nikita (call signs "White" and "Five Hundredth"). His death was confirmed by friendly resources.

Despite the videos and photos circulating on the Internet, the number of losses is unlikely to exceed a couple of dozens: some of the white corpses could have belonged to the Tuareg rebels, who were filmed for the picture.

📌According to information from Medved na divane, the Wagner PMC, together with the "African Corps" @KorpusAfrica, quickly held negotiations to ransom the prisoners, concluding two deals Original msg🔸

🔸Fwd from @knyaz_cherkasky
Here, the region is in an uproar due to the deaths of children on a playground, and everyone is trying to spin the situation to their advantage, while the Americans are concerned about escalation (this could become a trigger for the start of an operation in Lebanon). I would like to return to yesterday's defeat in the north in Mali.

I won't talk about the losses and mistakes, but this is the first serious setback and blow to the image not only of the Wagner group, but of the entire conditional Russian presence. Shortly before this, there was a spat between the resources of those who are now part of Akhmat and the current Wagner members, which was quickly hushed up. After this event, such spats (and not only) are obviously even more meaningless and even sabotaging.

Reportedly, employees of the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defense have also joined the assistance and negotiations, who, according to rumors, were ordered not to interfere. But there, on the field, solidarity plays a much stronger role.

Militarily, this setback will not change the balance of power, especially since the set of factors (sandstorm, reconnaissance, etc.) that led to it is obvious.

But in terms of work, something may change, since a detachment of the African Corps is about to enter Mali. Original msg🔸

🔸Fwd from @rqnst
🇲🇱🗡💰Rybar has spoken on a very important topic, specifically about what is happening behind the scenes of the war or what we will ultimately achieve from it.

In particular, the importance of rare earth metal deposits in Mali's subsoil, specifically lithium, is rightly mentioned. And despite the fact that our guys are heroically dying in a distant foreign land, the contract for the development of this element was received by... the British!

And here we see an obvious desynchronization of the actions of various government agencies. If the military, and especially the PMC, which is always at the forefront, act boldly, actively and quickly adapt to the situation, then our official politicians continue to work as if there is no war or sanctions, and there is no need for us to look for new allies and new markets.

Russian business can hardly even enter Syria, given the lack of even minimal support from their own state for their compatriots. The same rigidity and clumsiness of the bureaucratic machine is seen with Africa. And in addition, the endless shifting of responsibility from one level to another, which is well known to officials. All this naturally leads to the loss of more and more opportunities.

Nevertheless, the export of security is one of the areas where Russia is more than competitive in the international market. Syria, Libya, the CAR, Mali (even despite the tragedy of recent days) - this is a reputation, authority, the expansion of cultural and political influence. It is necessary to continue and expand this export. This also distracts the EU, Britain and the USA from counteracting Russia in Europe, forcing them to pay attention to other regions of the world, reducing the concentration of their military and economic resources in one direction.

However, the question to the Russian authorities about systematic and constant assistance to Russian companies in their work in Africa and the Middle East remains open. Otherwise, the guys will continue to risk their lives for lands and riches that the French, British and Chinese will then safely buy out.
@rqnst Original msg ⤴↩t.me/rybar_in_english🔸

🔸🔥 Official statement from Wagner PMC regarding the situation that occurred in Mali:

“The detachment was led by Sergei Shevchenko with the call sign Pond, his group on the first day of the operation destroyed most of the Wahhabi militants, the survivors fled from the battlefield, but later, having managed to regroup and increase the number of the group to a thousand people, under the cover of a sandstorm that had begun, an attempt was made to counterattack - the first was repulsed, but over the next two days the massive attacks only increased, as a result of which, on July 27, the following message was received from the fighters - “The three of us are left, we continue to fight.” The detachment commander died." ↩t.me/zloy_zhurnalist🔸

🔸❗️Wagner Group Statement on the Situation in Mali

From July 22 to July 27, 2024, FAM soldiers and soldiers of the 13th Assault Detachment of the Wagner PMC, under the leadership of commander Sergei Shevchenko, call sign “Pond,” fought fierce battles with militants from the Coordination Movement of Azawad (CMA) in the vicinity of the village of Tin-Zautin. and the terrorist group Al-Qaeda in the Sahel (JNIM) banned in the Russian Federation.

On the first day, the “Prud group” destroyed most of the Islamists and put the rest to flight. However, the ensuing sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and increase their numbers to 1,000 people. In connection with this, the command of the Wagner PMC decided to transfer additional forces to the combat area to provide assistance to the 13th Assault Detachment.

On July 25, the militants again attacked the “musicians,” but thanks to the coordinated actions of the Orchestra personnel and Malian military personnel, the attack attempt was repulsed. Over the next two days, the radicals increased the number of massive attacks, using heavy weapons, UAVs and suicide vehicles, which resulted in losses from the Wagner PMC and FAMa soldiers.

The last radiogram from the “Prud group” arrived on July 27 at 17:10: “The three of us are left, we continue to fight.” The commander of the 13th Assault Detachment, Sergei “Pond” Shevchenko, died in battle. Eternal memory to our brothers who fulfilled their duty to the end. ↩t.me/bbbreaking🔸

🇲🇱🔸🌍🔻🚁🔸🚀🔻🇲🇱

So that was the consensus of what happened and in what sequence. The rising of 1000 rebel militants together leading up to a sandstorm seems awfully convenient to me. I don’t make the narratives, though. I only find them.

At this point I was going to just provide some links to several posts for some really good background information. But even at the risk of making this a novel I have decided to include them here. If you're crunched for time or just prefer to leave that for later, or even never read it, I don’t quibble over that - just giving you the heads up.

🇲🇱🇩🇿 Algerian sources are still silent about yesterday’s incident on the border with Mali. State media and their official channels have so far not spoken out, even Radio Algeria International this morning made no mention of what is happening in northern Mali.

But Algeria, positioning itself as a regional conciliator, is one of the parties directly interested in stabilizing the situation. In addition, do not forget that he brought heavy equipment to the borders with Mali shortly before the events in Tinzawatin.

Local sources do not rule out that yesterday’s victories of the Azawad militants could have happened with the participation of Algeria, which could provide them with air cover and transfer various types of assistance across the border. Let us recall that there has long been tension between the authorities of Mali and Algeria, caused by the warm reception of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of representatives of the Azawad separatists of the CSP-PSD movement and other opposition Malian movements.🔸

🔸🇩🇿🇲🇱 💀 Several factors speak at once about Algeria’s indirect participation in the events in northern Mali; we tried to put them together.

✔️In relations between Algeria and the military junta of Mali, there is indeed tension, which resulted last winter in a diplomatic scandal with the recall of both ambassadors. The President of Algeria regularly hosts leaders of the Malian opposition and representatives of the so-called Strategic Framework for the Protection of the People of Azawad (CSP-PSD) movement and Malian oppositionists (in February 2023, Algeria was visited by the head of the CSP-PSD, Abbas Ag Antale, and the famous Malian rebel Mahmoud Diko has already become a frequent visitor to Algeria.
✔️Algeria is offended by the termination in January 2024 by the military junta of Mali of the 2015 peace agreement with the Tuaregs, which was reached (once again) through the mediation of Algeria. Bamako then accused Algeria of hostile acts and highlighted the “existence on Algerian territory of representative offices of certain groups” that signed the 2015 Peace Agreement, which Mali’s transitional government calls “terrorists.”
✔️It is not beneficial for Algeria to host Azawadians from among the Tuaregs, who pose a potential threat to the southern regions of Algeria itself with a Tuareg majority. Since the 2010s, there are already about 20 thousand Malian refugees in Algeria.
✔️Algeria strongly opposes any foreign interference in the affairs of the Sahel, which has been repeatedly emphasized by the authorities as part of the country’s foreign policy. Of course, we are talking primarily about France, but Algeria also has a negative attitude towards the Russian presence.
✔️In addition, Algeria is dissatisfied with the rapprochement of Sahel countries, including Mali, with Morocco after Rabat put forward the so-called Atlantic Initiative, which provides Sahel countries with trade access to the sea. An Algerian intelligence report sent to the General Staff in January 2024 warned of the detrimental impact of a rapprochement between Mali and Morocco on Algerian security.
✔️A curious coincidence was the recent visit to Algeria of the commander of American AFRICOM forces, Michael Langley, who discusses with local authorities ways to combat terrorism in the Sahel region, as well as the growing activity of the pro-Russian Wagner group in some African countries.
✔️In May, it became known that Algeria, together with Russia, officially opened a case about the presence of forces of the Wagner PMC near its southern borders in the Sahel region.
✔️Algeria’s extremely negative position towards the Wagner group alerted me back in 2022, when in an interview with the French agency Le Figaro, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that he was dissatisfied with the presence of the Wagner group at his southern borders.
“The money that the Mali military council paid to the Russian mercenaries Wagner would have given more benefits if it had been invested in economic projects,” he said then.
✔️Well, let’s not forget about Algeria’s change in its foreign policy strategy. The failure of Algerian diplomacy in the Libyan file (which resulted in the spread of terrorism in the Sahara-Sahel region) prompted the Algerian authorities, after the resignation of ex-President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to amend the Constitution. According to amendments put into effect in 2021 as a result of a referendum, Algeria can participate in peacekeeping operations “within the framework of the UN, the African Union and the League of Arab States,” whereas previously Algerian law provided for strict non-intervention in military conflicts.

Shortly before the events in Tin Zawatin, the Algerian National People's Army, indeed, pulled up equipment to the border town, part of which is located on Algerian territory. It is unknown whether the Algerian army provided direct assistance during the clashes.🔸

Azawad, Tuaregs. Brief information.

Text and photos taken from the channel of orientalist Igor Dimitriev .

Tuareg nomads inhabit the central desert of West Africa. Now this territory is divided between several countries. In total there are more than three or even four million (the information on the map is outdated), but given the rapid growth of the population of Mali, Niger and their neighbors, they are becoming a minority even in the regions of their traditional residence. In Mali, the Tuaregs claim three northern provinces - Timbuktu, Gao, Kidal and parts of Mopti. In 2012, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, strengthened by tribesmen who came from Libya (fought on the side of Gaddafi), proclaimed the independent state of Azawad there. This is about half of Mali.

At the same time, in Azawad (and there are not only Tuaregs, there are also Arabs, Fulani, Songhai) Islamist radicals have intensified, with the goal of creating a Sharia state in West Africa. The Ansar al-Din group under the command of Iyad ag Ghali recaptured large cities such as Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal from the Azawad National Movement. They destroyed medieval monuments included in the UNESCO list - adobe mausoleums of Sufi saints, mosques, libraries. This caused a great stir. The Malian army FAMa was supported by France and the Islamists were driven out of Azawad. The Tuareg tribes themselves, after the conflict with the Islamists, abandoned plans to create an independent state and laid claim to autonomy within Mali. However, attempts to hold a referendum on autonomy for Azawad caused street unrest in Mali. Of course, the situation was complicated by the fact that on the territory of the supposed Azawad there are many minerals, primarily gold. This, as you understand, does not improve negotiability.

In 2017, Ansar al-Din merged with al-Qaeda in the Maghreb and other jihadist groups to form the Society for Relief of Islam and Muslims (Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen - JNIM). There is also a branch of IS in the region, indicated on the map, but it consists of another ethnic group - the Fulani, who are in conflict with the Tuaregs and Arabs. So there are several more jihadist groups organized along ethnic lines. Since their unification, all these banned organizations have become more active and went on the offensive in different directions.

In 2021, a military coup took place in Mali and the new government brought in the Wagner PMC to fight the rebels, and French troops were withdrawn from the country. Negotiations with the Azawad separatists, which had been going on with varying success all these years, were completely broken down in 2022. The Tuaregs formed the CSP-DPA joint force. They controlled some territories, the Islamists controlled others. A minority of the Tuaregs submitted to Mali.

The Malian army (FAMa) and the “Wagners” had the task of advancing along the roads, capturing the main settlements controlled by the Tuaregs and Islamists, and cutting them off from the border through which they received help from their fellow tribesmen. By July 2024, they managed to approach the border with Algeria. On its other side, by prior agreement, Algerian troops were stationed. A few days ago, fighting began for the border Tin-Zawatin, where the Tuaregs were squeezed and refugee camps were located. The separatists, who had nowhere to go, put up stiff resistance. The situation was complicated by a sandstorm; it did not allow aviation to operate. One of the Wagner groups retreated from the Tuareg positions from (CSP-DPA) and was ambushed by jihadists (JNIM).
⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

The African Front Parts 1-2

🇲🇱🔻🌍🔸🚁🔻🚀🔸🇲🇱

So the rest is the information since July 30. Most of it is referring to the response and subsequent findings of ancillary characters all over this region. At the end you can draw your own dots; it's truly that clear. While we were watching political theater, the world war began. The separation of forces onto the two alliances advanced. And whatever happens in Israel probably won't top this region for importance.

🔸🌴🇲🇱 Azawad shepherds today announced a general mobilization. This means that they may want to squeeze out previously lost territories, which are now under the control of FAMa (Mali Armed Forces) and the Wagner Group.
The following settlements are under threat from militants:
Tessalit , Agelhok , Kidal and Anefif .
Judging by how quickly they recently gathered about 1000 heads to put down a reconnaissance platoon of the White Uncles (yes, only a thousand separatists against as many as a whole platoon😮), the onset should be expected at any moment. And there will be more than just a thousand of them.
The mobilization of the Tuaregs may also occur due to the fear that they themselves are expecting an attack from the Wagners. And the latter, sooner or later, will definitely go and mix everything there with sand.
↩t.me/wagner_group2022🔸

🔸How can I say this, just to complement. On the wave of media victory, the Azawad cockerel is also promoted by the local population. In short, the Malians will have to stop all this ↩t.me/incognitoraf🔸

🇲🇱🇷🇺 The retaliatory strikes against the Tuareg rebels of Azawad did not keep them waiting.

The Malian Armed Forces' "Bayraktars" carried out a series of airstrikes on concentrations of militants from the Coordination Movement of Azawad on the border with Algeria. The main damage, as can be seen in the footage, was inflicted on the already infamous town of Tin-Zaouaten.

According to various reports, from 10 to 40 militants have already been killed. And these strikes are likely not the last ones: @departamente reports that many are trying to leave the city.

At this time, the Tuaregs are mobilizing, hoping to prepare for new offensives by the Malian Armed Forces and the Wagner PMC. Given that during the battle of Tin-Zaouaten they were able to quickly gather almost a thousand personnel, it is highly likely that the concentration of militants on the Algerian border will sharply increase in the coming days.

It remains to be hoped that this time the government forces will be better prepared for new clashes and will take into account the mistakes of the recent tragedy.

#Africa #Mali #Russia
@rybar Original msg🔸

🔸🇲🇱🇷🇺 This could have sounded like a joke, if not for the tragic nature of the situation.

Yes, we know that in Mali, any losses in the war against militants are very painfully perceived, because after the coup and the expulsion of the French, the local population was extremely inspired and united around the common goal of ensuring security.

And yes, the level of African media and experts from regional publications leaves much to be desired: there are plenty of such unsubstantiated statements there.

📌 By the way, the French actively use this, placing crazy unverifiable fakes in some publications, which then migrate to the pages of respected publications like "Le Figaro" and RFI with reference to an African source. This is how legalization works.

🔻 But we can't figure out why they decided to drag such news into the RIA Novosti feed.

As it was already said, underestimating the enemy in the face of the Tuaregs and inventing excuses only complicates the task of preparing and planning for the upcoming battles. And it would be better for the Russian side to teach this to the Malians as soon as possible. After all, we ourselves went through this.
#Africa #Mali #Russia
@rybar Original msg🔸

🔸The Wagner group, which suffered losses in Mali, encountered special forces from NATO countries during the fighting, Malian political expert Adama Diabate told RIA Novosti.

In fact, we were faced with special forces, because their actions were planned second by second, just like tactics, logistics, evacuation systems, and assault groups. Everything was the same as in the West. So it was precisely Western special forces undercover

According to the expert, those who say that we are talking about Tuareg rebels are mistaken. ↩private account🔸

🇲🇱🇹🇷💀 A representative of the Azawad factions spoke about the role of Turkish forces in Mali

As the channel “ White Uncles in Africa” indicated, the UAVs of the Malian army did not have ammunition, which is why I remembered this interview.

At the beginning of the summer of 2024, the official representative of the Azawad factions, Muhammad Maulud Ramadan, told a correspondent of the Al-Hadath channel about the role of the SADAT PMC in Mali.

Ramadan said that Turkish forces participating in the fighting against Azawad groups on the side of the Malian government and fighters of the Wagner PMC are located in Bamako and in “several other areas.”

According to Ramadan, the Turks are involved in the management and maintenance of UAVs, which are used by FAMa and Wagner forces against Tuareg groups.

Today they do not take part in hostilities directly, but tomorrow everything could change and we will meet them in battle,” the Taureg representative suggested.

Also, Muhammad Maulud Ramadan expressed deep disappointment with Turkey's support for the Mali government, saying that from now on this country is the enemy of the Tuaregs.

“We were very surprised that Turkey, which has always stood in defense of Islamic peoples, began to support Wagner with drones. Now this country is our enemy.”🔸

🇲🇱 Current balance of power and control over the territory of Mali

Red color - territory under the control of FAMa (Mali Armed Forces)

Yellow color - pro-government forces

Green color - "Azawad Movement Coordination" groups

White color - territory controlled by the Nusrat al-Islam wa-l-Muslimeen group (JNIM)

Gray color - territory controlled by IS.

80 percent of the area marked in green and white is uninhabited (according to local sources)

The red arrow indicates the place on the border with Algeria where the militants organized an ambush.

The map of control of the territories of Somalia can be found here

Data is approximate!🔸

🇲🇱 Tuaregs announced general mobilization

Tuareg separatists CSP - DPA released a statement on July 30 calling for general mobilization.

The Tuaregs say that "they are now experiencing historical moments in which there is only one hero - and this is the army of Azawad. All the forces of the country must now unite for one goal, and this goal is Azawad and the people of Azawad."

The Tuaregs in their statement call on "all the youth of Azawad from all parts of their region, as well as those living abroad, to universal mobilization and join 'their brothers' in defense of their homeland."

“This journey is long and we must arm ourselves with courage, determination, optimism and great hope to build the Azawad of our dreams.”

It is worth noting here that a huge number of Azawad youth live quite happily in Europe on benefits, and put on Azawad and similar speeches about higher matters with the same zeal with which they are now being called upon to return and take up arms.🔸

🇱🇾🇳🇪🇲🇱🇧🇫 The Tuareg representative revealed the true reason for their separatism

In connection with the announcement by the Tuaregs of general mobilization and the call for their youth to return from abroad and fight for the “Azawad of our dreams,” I remembered this interview with one of these “fighters for ideals” living in the UK.

A representative of the youth of the Tuareg tribe, Akli Shaka, then told what really haunts his people and forces them to take armed action against the authorities of Mali, Algeria and others.

Akli Shaka said live that the Tuaregs are the owners of these lands, and everything that is there should belong to them.

“Why do we live in such a poor situation? We are the masters of these lands. Take for example the south of Libya, this region is known for the largest oil reserves in the region, and our people live there in poverty. Or take the south of Algeria, this is the richest region in Africa. Also most in the north of Mali.

Akli Shaka currently lives in London and positions himself as a human rights activist and fighter for the rights of the Tuaregs. Apparently, it is much more convenient to share the suffering of the people and fight for their rights from London. Shaka himself grew up in the south of Libya and fled from there to Europe at the first opportunity. In 2011, he launched a fierce online campaign to support the revolution in Libya.

This comrade actually shows very well how much all of them living abroad don’t give a fuck about Azawad. He sits in London when he needs to give an interview, wraps himself up, makes a serious mug, and talks about higher matters. But one question arises - do ordinary Tuaregs understand that if, say, they theoretically take control of resources, then they will only enrich these London “human rights activists”, and not themselves?🔸

🇲🇱 The Governor of Kidal denied rumors about the withdrawal of government structures from the city

Governor Boukari Diallo said that the messages published by attackers through social networks are false information.

“The Governor wishes to officially refute this propaganda information, which is intended only to sow panic among the civilian population of the region. The Governor assures the people of the Kidal region that the administration and FAMa remain strongly committed to their mission in Kidal and throughout the region with the sole purpose of ensuring the well-being of the population and the protection of people and their property without any distinction of ethnicity or color.” ⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

❗️🇲🇱 The Malian military has information that Ukrainian instructors trained rebels in Mauritania 🇲🇷

This was reported by Sene.News. The article also states that the Malian authorities have contacted the Mauritanian government to clarify the circumstances.

📌 Let us remind you that from July 19 to July 27, 2024, the Malian army carried out a large-scale operation to combat Islamist groups and Tuareg separatists on the border with Algeria.
↩t.me/WesternAfrica🔸

🇲🇱🇺🇦 The Malian authorities are preparing to make an official complaint against Ukraine, after the leadership of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine admitted coordinating terrorist groups conducting military operations and regularly committing terrorist acts against the civilian population of the country.
#Mali #Ukraine
↩t.me/africaintel🔸

🇲🇱💀 Consequences of attacks on the city of Tinzavatin. The joy was short-lived🔸

⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

#Мали #Турция #сотрудничество

President of Turkey 🇹🇷 Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with President of Mali 🇲🇱 Colonel Assimi Goita.

📌 The Turkish President said his country will continue to support Mali in the fight against terrorism and maintain peace and stability in relations with its neighbors.
↩t.me/WesternAfrica🔸

📡 Starlink Elon Musk with Azawad shepherds. We have previously shown photos of them with this device.

As Starlink is usually used at the front: the terminals allow coordination, control of drones, control of the operational situation and communication in general.
↩t.me/wagner_group2022🔸

🇲🇷🇲🇱Mauritania has expressed concern about events in neighboring Mali after recent days of fighting between government troops and Tuareg militants.

Why weren’t they worried that militants from the pro-Al-Qaeda* DNIM were moving imposingly through their territory? And what about Nouakchott , that the Islamists have one feeding trough - the UAE, which also spurs sentiments against Western Sahara .

As for the Azawad, many of them indirectly hint at support for Mauritania . However, they can also easily move around Mauritanian territory.

What can bother them, if these are not even their borders - the question is rhetorical. Is it really the interests of the Khalij monarchs?

* - terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation
↩t.me/departamente🔸

⚡️ The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate claimed that the defeat of the Wagner column in Mali was prepared with the help of Kyiv. This version is full of manipulation.

On Monday, the Ukrainian publication Kyiv Post published a photo allegedly showing Tuareg rebels posing with the Ukrainian flag immediately after the defeat of the Wagner PMC convoy. The publication claims that the authenticity of the photo was confirmed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Important Stories noted that:

🔵 The photo was taken at least 1.5 months before the attack on the Wagner column

On June 10, journalist Akli Shika published a video on social network X with Tuareg fighters from the independence movement of the Azawad region. The Z-channel “Informant” drew attention to this. The people in it are very similar to those depicted in the Kyiv Post photo - both in appearance and in their position relative to the other participants in the photo (see photo 1).

🔵 The Ukrainian flag in the photo was added artificially

This follows from the results of analysis by the TruFor algorithm implemented in the MeVer service. The TruFor algorithm is designed to search for anomalies in photos and recognize traces of editing. In addition to the flag, a person standing next to it could also be added to the photo (see photos 2 and 3).

🔵 One of the faces blurred in the photo does not belong to a police officer

The faces of the four fighters in the photo are blurred - Ukrainian media claim that these are employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate. However, one of them also appears in the video, where he does not hide his face. From the analysis of the video, it is obvious that this is not a Ukrainian GUR fighter (see photos 4 and 5).
↩t.me/wagner_group2022🔸

🏳️ 🇺🇦Wassim Nasr on Ukrainian-Azawadi relations

In his latest article for Le Grand Continent, Wassim Nasr, the eminent French “jihad expert,” tries to analyze the influence of the Wagner PMC on the African continent, touching on almost all aspects. Of course, the reason for the interview was the recent battle of Tin Zautin.

Based on information about the presence of the 100th detachment of the Ukrainian Special Forces in Sudan, he suggests that “contacts [established from Sudan with northern Mali] led to the receipt of a small amount of material assistance [by the separatists] ”

❗️And if this can still be called possible, then his following data is not far from the fantasies of pro-Azawad bloggers:

“[The separatists] received training in Ukraine, which, among other things, allowed the CSP rebels to use light drones with small explosive charges, but this was not a decisive factor in the battle on July 27.”

There is no evidence to support his words, and the use of drones is not an indicator at all. This is how they were successfully used by the pro-Al-Qaeda* JNIM in Mopti against the Dan Na Ambassagu militias.

🔻All this looks like an attempt to legitimize the failed narrative about the Ukrainian footprint in the Western information field. Otherwise, I doubt that a person knowledgeable in the topic could say such a thing.

* - terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation🔸

🔸🇺🇦🏴 The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine supported the bill on the creation of private military companies (PMCs) in the country.

▪️According to the document, the IOC will be considered a registered company, which, based on the received license , will provide defense assistance outside the territory of Ukraine.

▪️This provides this PMC with licensed military assistance in the same African countries . Apparently this decision was caused by recent events in the Sahel countries.

❓ What could this turn out to be?

▪️The presence of foreign forces in Africa is far from new, but Ukraine had previously only been active in the civil war in Sudan. Now, according to the bill, PMCs can obtain a license in Ukraine, and almost any country can hire them.

🔻In my opinion, this will not have a significant impact on the Sahel countries; the maximum that Ukrainian PMCs can do is train the Tuaregs, because, obviously, they will not get involved with terrorist groups. But the landscape and the condition of the Tuaregs will not allow large forces to be transferred to help Azawad.

Moreover, Ukraine has enough of its own affairs.🔸

🏳️ 🇳🇪During the attack on July 19, the al-Qaeda* affiliated group JNIM captured two foreigners.

According to Wassim Nasr, they are from Donbass. Both are civilians, reportedly geologists.

Although some might already think that we are talking about soldiers of the Afrika Korps, this is by no means the case.

Also, according to unconfirmed information, several foreigners taken on the same day were released from jihadist captivity.

Children, don’t go for a walk in Africa...

* - terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation🔸

🇩🇿🏳️ 🇳🇪🇲🇷 There is now a rather serious problem in Algeria due to the Malian refugees who appeared after the drone strike on Tin Zautin.

The problem is that Mali’s neighbors are not ready to accept such a number of refugees, due to the fact that there may be terrorists and various kinds of separatists among them. This is actually why the Algerian army blocked movements during the active phase of the fighting.

Another problem is the number of refugees, because they are all unskilled workers and, most likely, they will go into the drug trade or to the next illegal mines, which are abundant in Algeria.

Mauritania has faced a lot of this. Thus, in the Mbera refugee camp alone, almost one hundred thousand Tuaregs live, having fled war and oppression for half a century. The situation there is truly depressing; only UN sponsorship saves people from starvation.

It is worth recalling that Tin Zautin became one of the shelters for refugees after the offensive of the “Islamic State”* in the Menaka region. The other part retreated to the administrative center, where there is also a humanitarian crisis.

* - terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation
⤴↩t.me/departamente🔸

🔸🇲🇱She gave a comment about the situation in the Sahel, namely in the north of Mali, to the publishing house “Ukraine RU” (part of the RT group).

It turned out both about resources and about psychosis, everything we love:

https://ukraina.ru/20240801/1056605612.html

#читать #Африка #Сахель #Мали #безопасность
↩t.me/angiezen🔸

🇲🇱💀 Local accomplices claim that FAMa rotorcraft attacked the truck and 40 people were killed. Naturally, the separatists claim that there were refugees there, even from Nigeria.🔸

🌍🇳🇪🇲🇱🇧🇫🇳🇬 Two branches of the Islamic State in Africa intend to join forces.

The latest UN report on the activities of the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda organizations (both banned in the Russian Federation as terrorists) shows that IS offshoots The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and the Islamic State - West Africa Province (ISWAP) are trying to create a joint logistics center on the border between Nigeria and Niger north of the city of Sokoto.

If this happens, ISIS groups in Sahel Africa will be significantly strengthened. Thus, the report mentions that ISWAP has “increased support for ISGS operations in the Sahel,” apparently as a result of “directives from the ISIS core.”

“Al-Furqan Branch Commander Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainouqi (aka Aboubakr Mainok, oversees both ISWAP and ISGS) coordinated the transport of weapons, fuel, equipment and fighters to support operations in Burkina Faso and Mali. To facilitate logistics in the Sahel, Al-Furqan has established cells and networks to support the Islamic State West African Province in some states in northwestern Nigeria, with networks in Sokoto State playing a major role.

The report also mentions that "some member states reported that the mandate of the Al-Furqan office has expanded to cover West Africa, the Sahel and North African IS affiliates, thereby dismantling the IS office in Dhu al-Nurayn (Sinai)," and this may lead to a change in management.

“Recurrent problems in coexistence with the Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Jamaat group define the territory and scope of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, but it still seeks to strengthen its logistics route with northwestern Nigeria, and détente allows it expand. Although Islamic State in the Greater Sahara is more violent, the group uses a strategy similar to Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen to convince the population of the need for relatively voluntary cooperation. This strategy may be particularly effective if the group is trying to gain a foothold in Sokoto in northwestern Nigeria, where ethnic and local divisions can be actively manipulated."🔸

🇲🇱🇩🇿 Local sources in Azawad report that against the backdrop of recent events, residents of the Tinzawatin region, mainly Tuaregs, are leaving en masse towards Algeria.🔸

🇲🇱🇹🇷 The Mali Air Force will not have problems with BC for Bayraktors

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with Mali President Colonel Assimi Goita. The parties discussed bilateral relations, as well as cooperation in the fight against terrorism.🔸

🇲🇱 Morning in Mali

Tuareg separatists CSP - DPA🔸

🇩🇿🇲🇱 Algeria will hold an urgent meeting of the National Security Council

Local sources report that Algerian authorities are preparing to hold an urgent meeting of the National Security Council, which will cover topics such as the situation on the border with Mali and Western Sahara.

Earlier, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmad Attaf said that the conflict in Mali should be resolved exclusively by diplomatic and political methods.🔸

🇲🇱🇷🇺 Future officers of the Armed Forces of Mali (FAMa) during harsh training in Russia🔸

🇩🇿🇫🇷 The recall of the Algerian ambassador from France is the first step, which will be followed by others, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said, commenting on his country's response to Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.

Attaf called Paris's actions "dangerous" for the region, adding:

“This is not just calling the ambassador for consultations. This is a decrease in the level of diplomatic representation. This is an important step to express our condemnation of Paris's position."

The minister said that French President Emmanuel Macron informed his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune on the sidelines of the G7 summit in June in Italy about the decision that Paris intends to make. At the same time, the Algerian authorities warned Paris against any such measures.🔸

🇲🇱 Sandstorm in Mali. According to some reports, it was because of weather conditions that the events of July 27 turned into a tragedy for FAMa and Russian fighters.🔸

🇲🇱🇹🇷 The President of Turkey expects Mali to expel the “Gulenists”

Details of a telephone conversation between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Malian counterpart Colonel Assimi Goita have become known.

In the conversation, Erdogan expressed hope for cooperation to put an end to the activities of Fatullah Gülen supporters in Mali and transfer members of his organization to Turkey.

Fathullah Gülen is a writer and public figure, former imam, leader of the Hizmat movement. Currently lives in Pennsylvania, USA. Turkish authorities accuse Gülen of organizing the coup attempt in 2016, as well as of involvement in the murder of the Russian ambassador in Ankara, Andrei Karlov. Gülen's supporters are active in more than 140 countries, especially in the field of education.

Gülen's Hizmet movement describes itself as "a peace movement based on the ideas of pacifism and offering a new, modern perspective on Islam.” ⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

🇲🇱🇧🇫 Yesterday, the first joint operation within the newly created Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) was carried out in the Malian city of Tinzavatin on the border with Algeria, local media reported.

Burkina Faso sent reinforcements to Mali to help cope with the situation in Tinzaouatine, where units of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and the Wagner PMC were recently ambushed.

“The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mali informs that, in accordance with the solidarity between the member states of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and within the framework of the application of the collective defense and mutual assistance mechanism of the AES, FAMa, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso, began on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, air campaign in the Tinzawatin sector... Specific high-value targets were attacked, including caches, logistics areas and vehicles. During this operation, the General Staff of the Armed Forces calls on the civilian population in the sector to keep their distance from positions occupied by armed terrorist groups in order to prevent any collateral damage,” the statement said.

Local residents, however, report that the attacks have primarily targeted the region's gold mines, which are the main source of funding for local terrorist groups. So, in the video, an eyewitness from Chad says that the Karubat gold-bearing area on the border with Algeria was attacked. It is noteworthy that about a month ago it issued a statement on the cessation of geological exploration work at all gold mines in the country. ↩t.me/Arabs_Live🔸

🔸Mali: Russia's Wagner Implicates West, Ukraine in Mali Clashes
‍[VOA] Separatist fighters and al-Qaida affiliates in Mali reportedly dealt the Russian military regiment Wagner its greatest battlefield defeat in Africa on July 26 and 27.
The junta in Mali has a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry and embeds what it calls "Russian military instructors" or the Wagner troops with its forces in a struggle against the separatist and jihadi groups.
News and social media have offered conflicting accounts on the fighting, and the number of Wagner mercenaries killed.
Read More🔸

🇸🇳 Senegal summons the Ukrainian ambassador after content featuring "apology of terrorism" was broadcast on its soil

👉 A propaganda video from the Ukrainian army, accompanied by comments supporting the terrorist attack in Mali, was published on the embassy's Facebook page*.

🗣 This position goes against the neutrality that Senegal advocates in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

"Our country, which rejects terrorism in all its forms, cannot accept on its territory and in any way words and gestures that go in the direction of the apology of terrorism, especially when the latter aims to destabilize a brother country like Mali," says the press release from Senegalese diplomacy.

❗️ According to the document, the ministry reminded the Ukrainian ambassador in Dakar of the "obligations of discretion, restraint and non-interference that must accompany the seriousness and solemnity of his mission."

*Meta (the owner of Facebook and Instagram) is banned in Russia for extremist activities🔸

🇧🇫Burkina Faso condemns the publication of a video by the Ukrainian army supporting terrorists in Mali and calls on Kiev "to pull itself together"

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabe Abroad noted with indignation the publication of a video providing unequivocal support for the terrorist groups responsible for the cowardly and barbaric attack perpetrated between July 25 and 27, 2024, in Tinzaouatene in Northern Mali, against the Malian Armed Forces," the ministry said in a press release.

Burkina Faso "firmly condemns this act of supporting terrorism and is surprised that it is relayed by the Ukrainian embassy in Dakar." Burkina Faso also reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Malian Armed Forces, who "fight against international terrorism and its accomplices in the Sahel and all of Africa."

🇸🇳Senegal has already summoned the Ukrainian ambassador after the video, accompanied by comments supporting the terrorist attack in Mali, was published on the embassy's Facebook* page.

The foreign ministry underlined in the statement that such a position contradicts the neutrality that Senegal advocates in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

* Meta and Facebook are banned in Russia over extremist activities
⤴↩t.me/sputnik_africa🔸

🇲🇱 In Mali, the Dan na Ambassagu militia - the Dogon militia, woven from Dozo hunters, repelled the DNIM attack in Mondolo.

📌 The Dozo is a traditional warrior and hunter society found among many peoples in West Africa. They have their own ancient traditions, rules, initiations.
In the modern conflict, dozos have begun to play the role of self-defense units, designed to protect the population from jihadists, however, they often commit crimes themselves; of course, they are an armed group that is essentially uncontrollable by anyone.🔸

🏴 🇲🇱🏳️ The CSP-DPA posted a communiqué with their information about the losses in the Battle of Tin Zautin and recent events.

☠️▪️According to them, the enemy’s losses amount to 131 people, of which 84 are soldiers of the Wagner PMC, including 7 prisoners, as well as 12 combat vehicles and a large number of captured weapons.

▪️In the same post, they warn Burkino Faso against further actions, apparently due to recent events, due to which, according to them, about 50 civilians were killed.🔸

💀🏳️ 🕯 Latest photos from the phones of the dead Wagner soldiers at Tin-Zautin.🔸

🇲🇱🏳️ Mass appearance of FAMa soldiers captured by Azawad.

📌This group, led by Captain Boubacar Cissé, was captured at the Battle of Burem in September 2023.

🔻According to Azavadians, the video is proof to the families of the prisoners that they are alive and well.🔸

⚫️🇲🇱 😁 The story with DAY and Azawad continues.

In their post, JNIM once again talks about what a great contribution they made in the Battle of Tin Zautin.

🤯They also accuse the CSP-DPA of trying to hide the truth and downplay their importance.🔸

⚫️ 🇲🇱 IN THE AFTERNOON they posted a photo with captured weapons captured in Gao.🔸

🇳🇪❗️ The Niger armed forces have launched an operation against terrorist groups.

The operation is called "Gharkoua," it takes place on the Algerian-Malian border, between Assamaka and Tin Zautin.

The Tuaregs are concerned about this operation, they believe that the operation is directed against them. In my opinion, a collision is possible.

📌 Interesting fact, the operation is translated from the Hausa language as “meeting.”🔸

🇳🇪🇲🇱During Operation Garkoua, a detachment of the Niger Armed Forces stopped 2 suspicious vehicles coming from Tin Zautin.
3 people were arrested.🔸

⚫️ 🇲🇱💀 IS* reports that 4 days ago, an attack was carried out near the city of Tabango, in which FAMa losses, according to them, amounted to 20 people.

The information has not been confirmed.

* - terrorist group banned in the Russian Federation🔸

⚠️ 🇧🇫 The armed forces of Burkina Faso are on alert.

❗️Almost all crowded places have been cordoned off by the Armed Forces , and military bases have been put on full alert.

☠️All this is due to the fact that Burkina Faso intelligence received information about a large suicide attack on civilian and military targets.
⤴↩t.me/departamente🔸

🇲🇱And again Mali, but now in the southeast of the country in the “Three Borders” region there is an attack by pro-al-Qaeda* JNIM. The entrance to the Wabari military facility (southern outskirts of Gao, opposite bank of the Niger River) has been taken under full control.

🇲🇱🇧🇫🇳🇪Also, do not forget that this hot section of the “Three Borders” is the zone of operation of the terrorist gangs JNIM and IS*-Sahel, which are not allies at all.

⚔️ Pro-Al-Qaeda JNIM are active against pro-government Mali forces from all over the country. Moreover, after an ambush on a convoy of FAMA and military specialists from Russia last weekend, these jihadists began to conflict with Tuareg separatists (allies) on the basis of who distinguished themselves more in that battle.

*—terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation

#инцидент #Африка #Мали #Сахель
↩t.me/angiezen🔸

The al-Qaeda-linked group Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen announced the release of a video with two captured Russians. Presumably, we are talking about an incident in Niger. ↩t.me/directorate4🔸

🇲🇱 Mali could become the African country with the largest oil reserves

Several sources report that reserves of up to 4 billion barrels of oil have been discovered in the Taoudeni basin on the border with Mauritania.

If this discovery is confirmed, Mali will automatically become the African country with the largest oil reserves. Let us recall that the Taoudeni Basin has been known for its oil wealth for many years, and oil reserves in the area are estimated to be in the millions of barrels.🔸

🇳🇪🇲🇱 ⚡️ The Nigerien opposition movement “Popular Front for the Liberation of Niger” threatens to enter into an alliance with Azawad groups.

In its appeal to the government, the movement warned against intervening in the war in Mali within the framework of the AES alliance, threatening that otherwise it, along with other opposition movements, would join Azawad factions in their armed struggle for independence.🔸

🇲🇱 🇸🇳🇺🇦9 Senegalese public organizations condemned Kiev’s support for terrorists

“We, Senegalese civil society organizations, condemn Ukraine’s support for terrorist groups and call on the Senegalese authorities to take responsibility and indicate to Ukrainian diplomats in Dakar that it is inappropriate to carry out a propaganda campaign against the Malian state or any other African state,” the statement said.
Civil organizations also deplored the alarming security situation in the Sahel in the context of attacks carried out by “terrorist groups funded and trained by the West,” expressing full support for the armed forces of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.🔸

🇷🇺🇲🇱 💀 Dozens of Russians today came to a stand outside the Kremlin in Moscow to honor the memory of Wagner PMC fighters who died in a major battle with Mali rebels and Islamist militants.
⤴↩t.me/ArabicAfrica🔸

🇲🇱🔸🌍🔻🚁🔸🚀🔻🇲🇱

There's assuredly more to come from here. This will be completely contested and the breaks are already starting to form. Mauritania hasn't yet decided apparently, or is holding off to shield their possible NATO inclinations (wrote about that last year; link below). And while Senegal is saying the right things we still need to watch that. The seriousness of this region is amplified by the “professionals” involvement we can already see. While the US didn't appear on this date, they are never far off. And they still have 6 weeks left to run on their resident status in Niger. I'm sure the impetus to get this area cranked up now is not lost on you, either. We will be watching. I have been but it was like a dam opening this past week relative to the past 6 months. Stay cool guys; lots of heat is headed our way.

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