Movement for the Salvation of Azawad

Last updated
Movement for the Salvation of Azawad
Mouvement pour le salut de l'Azawad
LeadersMoussa Ag Acharatoumane
(founder)
Assalat Ag Habi
(military commander)
Dates of operation2 September 2016 (2016-9-2) – present
Split from National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)
Active regions Gao Region, Kidal Region
Ideology Tuareg nationalism
Secularism
Political position Azawad self-determination
Size3,000 [1]
AlliesState allies

Non-state allies

OpponentsFlag of Jihad.svg Al-Qaeda

Islamic State flag.svg  ISIL

  • Islamic State in the Greater Sahara
Battles and wars Mali War
Flag Flag of the Movement for the Salvation of Azawad.svg

The Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (French : Mouvement pour le salut de l'Azawad; abbreviated MSA) is a Tuareg political movement and armed group in Azawad, Mali. It was founded on 2 September 2016 by Moussa Ag Acharatoumane. [2]

History

The MSA was founded on 2 September 2016 [2] in Tin-Fadimata, north of Ménaka, by former members of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). [3]

With French support, a joint-operation was conducted by the MSA and the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (or GATIA) on 23 February 2018 to capture or kill Malian ISIL commander Abu Walid al-Sahrawi. Six ISIL militants were killed in the ensuing clashes, but Al-Sahrawi survived and evaded capture. [4]

MSA and GATIA troops battled ISIL militants from 2 to 5 June 2018. ISIL commander Almahmoud Ag Akawkaw was captured, while Amat Ag Assalate was killed during the battle. [5]

In July 2019 MSA joined Platform [6] [7] and as that also later the CSP-DPA on 6 May 2021, [8] though it later withdrew from it on the 24 September 2023 over its conflict with the Malian Government. [9]


References

  1. ↑ "Mali: le Mouvement pour le salut de l'Azawad, nouveau groupe politico-militaire - RFI". RFI Afrique (in French). Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 Carayol, Rémi (8 September 2016). "Mali – Moussa Ag Acharatoumane : « Nous avons créé le MSA pour représenter tous les Azawadiens »". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  3. ↑ Carayol, Rémi (2 September 2016). "Mali : le MNLA une nouvelle fois amputé". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "Tuareg militias battle Islamic State-loyal militants in northern Mali - FDD's Long War Journal". 25 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Une alliance Touareg revendique plus d'opérations contre l'EI dans le Grand Sahara dans le nord du Mali". Intellivoire (in French). 5 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Shifting Militia Allegiances and the Prospects for Ending the Small War in Northern Mali". Small Wars Journal. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Mali: le MSA intègre la plateforme des mouvements armés du Nord". RFI (in French). 14 July 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "Mali : Les mouvements armés du nord créent le "Cadre stratégique permanent"". www.aa.com.tr (in French). 5 May 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "Mali: Azawad Salvation Movement exits CSP-PSD, backs Transitional Government". Ecofin Agency. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.