Leader of al-Qaeda-linked group in Sahel announces new Jihad phase against juntas

The leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), Iyad Ag Ghaly recently published a video speaking publicly for the first time since 2017 and warned about a new phase of Jihad after lashing out at the military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and their Russian allies.

The video footage was authenticated on Wednesday (Dec 13) by SITE, an American NGO specialising in monitoring radical groups.

‘Treacherous governments’

Add WION as a Preferred Source

In the 22-minute video, Ag Ghaly urged local Muslims to support his fighters against the “treacherous governments” of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which is active in Mali.

ALSO READ |Putin flexes his muscles by launching two nuclear-powered submarines

Notably, these countries have been plagued by jihadist insurgencies while their militaries have seized power through coups and have broken alliances with countries in the West, including France.

While jihadists are responsible for almost daily attacks on civilians and the army in these countries, Ag Ghaly in the video supposedly portrayed himself as a defender of the oppressed, according to a report by AFP.

The leader of the al-Qaeda-linked group also went on to criticise the Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga saying. The “Islamic cause is totally incompatible with your project,” he asid, adding that the need for governance under the Islamic law “cannot be compromised”.

Notably, AFP citing Malian commentators and officials said that Ag Ghaly is considered as an unavoidable figure in efforts to end the country’s prolonged crisis.

ALSO READ |Republican-led House authorises Biden impeachment inquiry; US prez calls it ‘baseless political stunt’

He also denounced the situation in Burkina Faso, accusing Captain Ibrahim Traore’s regime of “persecuting, killing and displacing the population,” and welcomed the response of jihadists in the region.

Mali opens terror probe into jihadists, ethnic separatists

In late November, Mali’s judiciary announced that it was launching an investigation into several ethnic separatists and Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist leaders for terrorism and money laundering, including Ag Ghaly.

ALSO READ |Australian mother wrongfully jailed for death of four babies has convictions overturned

The public prosecutor said the investigation was launched “not only against the terrorist leaders but also other members who were signatories to the 2015 peace agreement” and “have tipped over into terrorism”.

The Malian judicial officers also cited “extremely serious” acts that “are likely to constitute the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, acts of terrorism, money laundering and financing of terrorism, illegal possession of weapons of war and munitions, and complicity in these same acts.”

(With inputs from agencies)