Fahad Ag Almahmoud

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Fahad Almahmoud
Secretary-general of GATIA
In office
15 August 2014 – 13 July 2023
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byYoussef Ag Mohamed
Commander of GATIA (Almahmoud)
In office
18 July 2023 – 1 December 2024
President of the CSP-PSD
In office
March 2022 – August 2022
Preceded byBilal Ag Acherif
Personal details
Died(2024-12-01)1 December 2024
Tinzaouaten, Kidal, Mali

Fahad Ag Almahmoud (fl. 15 August 2014 - died 1 December 2024) was a Malian Imghad Tuareg militant who served as the secretary-general of GATIA from its formation in 2014 until 2023, when he split from the group and formed his own faction of GATIA.

Biography

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Almahmoud first began serving in GATIA at the start of the group's foundation in 2014, where he became the secretary-general of the group.[1] Almahmoud was an Imghad Tuareg, the Tuareg clan that predominantly composes GATIA.[1][2] He often served as the spokesperson for the group as well, conducting numerous interviews with Malian and international media.[3] In 2019, Almahmoud stated that he believed that the Algiers Agreement did not resolve insecurity in northern Mali, and that there was no governance coming from the Malian government.[4] Almahmoud also stated he didn't believe in Azawadian independence.[5]

Between March and August 2022, Almahmoud served as the president of the CSP-PSD, a coalition composed of pro-government and former rebel minority militant groups.[6] His predecessor was Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) founder and leader Bilal Ag Acherif, making Almahmoud's election as president a major reconciliation between GATIA and the CMA.[6]

In July 2023, as tensions escalated between the CSP-PSD and the Malian junta over the latter's growing violations of the Algiers Agreement, Almahmoud was kicked out of the Platform coalition which GATIA is a part of due to his criticism of the Malian government.[7] Almahmoud was also fired from his role as secretary-general of GATIA, and Youssef Ag Mohamed was appointed his successor.[8] Almahmoud stated that he had been fired unjustly for his criticisms, and that GATIA commander El Gamou and Malian Minister of National Reconciliation Ismaël Wagué had planned his firing.[8]

When these tensions escalated into a war between the Malian government and CSP-PSD in September, Almahmoud created his own faction of the group.[9] This faction was recognized as the legitimate faction of GATIA by other members of the CSP-PSD.[8] In December 2023, Almahmoud and other leaders of the CSP were supported by Algeria in holding up the Algiers Accords.[10] In March 2024, Almahmoud was declared a terrorist by the Malian junta along with other members of the CSP-PSD.[11]

On 1 December 2024, Almahmoud was killed in a drone strike by the Malian army[12][13] alongside seven other Tuareg separatist leaders in Tinzaouaten.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "GATIA: A Profile of Northern Mali's Pro-Government Tuareg and Arab Militia". jamestown.org. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ^ Reporter, Le (27 August 2014). "maliweb.net - Fahad Ag Almahmoud, Secrétaire général du GATIA : "La Minusma et Serval sont plus exigeants avec l'Etat malien pour le respect du cessez-le-feu qu'avec les groupes armés"". maliweb.net (in French). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Fahad Ag Almahmoud : "Le Général Christian Thiebault et son état-major ont mis la Minusma au service du Mnla"". Afribone. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Fahad Ag Almahmoud : " L'insécurité et la gouvernance sont des préoccupations majeures "". Afribone. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  5. ^ L'Aube (22 January 2015). "maliweb.net - Fahad Ag Almahmoud, Secrétaire Géneral du Gatia à l'Aube : " L'Azawad n'est pas une entité politique "". maliweb.net (in French). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Politique nationale: Fahad AG ALMAHMOUD, nouveau président du Cadre stratégique permanent (CSP)". abamako.com. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  7. ^ Ag, Abdalah (13 July 2023). "Plateforme du 14 Juillet 2014 d'Alger Bureau régional de #Kidal". Twitter. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Mali: changement contesté à la tête du Gatia, groupe armé touareg signataire de l'accord de paix". RFI (in French). 14 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Mali : La justice ouvre une enquête sur des chefs d'Al-Qaida et de la CMA". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  10. ^ Atalayar (23 December 2023). "Algeria-Mali: on the brink of diplomatic breakdown". Atalayar. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Au Mali, six chefs du JNIM et de la rébellion touareg visés par des sanctions financières". Voice of America (in French). 13 March 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Mali : Mort annoncée du chef rebelle Touareg Fahad Ag Almahmoud". Dakar Actu (in French). 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Afrique Mali: frappes de drone à Tinzaouatène après la création d'une nouvelle coalition séparatiste". Radio France International (in French). 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Drone strikes by Mali's military regime kill 8 Tuareg leaders in the country's north". Associated Press. Retrieved 2 December 2024.