Mali: government mandates the High Islamic Council to negotiate with Ag Ghaly and Kouffa

Iyad Ag Ghaly (here at the head of the Ansar Dine delegation) in Ouagadougou, June 18, 2012. AFP PHOTO / AHMED OUABA

Text by: David Baché

2 min

The discussions of the Malian state with the jihadists of Jnim, at the national level, can begin.

Negotiations were already underway at the local level with certain groups of fighters linked to Aqmi (al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb).

And the Malian transitional authorities had already expressed on several occasions their intention to scale up.

This mission has just been entrusted very concretely to the High Islamic Council (HCI) of Mali by the transitional government.

Advertising

Read more

Iyad Ag Ghaly, head of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim), linked to Aqmi, and Amadou Kouffa, who heads Katiba Macina, affiliated to Jnim, these are the two interlocutors, of Malian nationality, clearly designated .

The High Islamic Council specifies that this choice is in accordance with the wishes expressed during the Inclusive National Dialogue of 2019, and that the transitional authorities now wish to implement. 

Good offices mission

What the Malian Minister of Religious Affairs and Worship, Mamadou Koné, confirmed to RFI: “ 

explains the minister,

 "

So the Minister of Religious Affairs personally entrusted, last week, this so-called “

 ”

mission 

to the High Islamic Council.

Chaired by Imam Chérif Ousmane Madani Haidara, the HCI had already negotiated on the ground with Katiba Macina fighters the ceasefire agreement obtained last March in the circle of Niono.

Agreement broken today: discussions are currently underway to try to restore it.

" 

Let the war stop

 "

The HCI henceforth has a much broader mission, explained by Moufa Haidara, in charge of these negotiations within the High Council: that of "

" throughout the country.

And to recall that Mali is regularly struck by terrorist attacks in the North - privileged ground of the men of Iyad Ag Ghaly - and in the Center - where it is the fighters of Amadou Kouffa who are on the offensive.

" 

 " recalls the HCI negotiator, who wants future negotiations to " 

 ".

Red lines not specified

The bases of these discussions and the possible red lines are not specified at this stage.

The content of Niono's agreement, however, may give an idea.

In short, the jihadists had granted freedom of movement for all inhabitants and for traditional dozo hunters, even armed, in exchange for the wearing of the compulsory veil for women, the perception of zakat, and guaranteed traditional justice. by the kadis of Katiba Macina.

However, this Niono agreement is not officially presented as a starting point for discussions.

“ 

 ” replies Moufa Haidara, who assures us that the channels for the opening of negotiations already exist. 

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• Mali

• al-Qaeda

• Terrorism