Counter-Militancy Operations On The Mali-Niger Border

Twelve Tuareg have been killed in clashes on the Mali-Niger border. Sixteen gunmen appeared on motorbikes outside the town of Andéramboukane and opened fire on civilians on Thursday, April 26th. Among the victims were young children and the elderly.

An MSA patrol gave chase to the assailants, saying it had placed four “out of harm’s way” while losing a fighter of their own in capturing equipment and motorbikes from the attackers. Sources from the UN’s MINUSMA peacekeeping operation said on April 12th that they had received “very serious” information that “summary executions of at least 95 people” had occurred during anti-jihadist operations in the northeastern Menaka region. The executions were allegedly carried out by “a coalition of armed groups,” including Gatia and MSA.

In spite of the joint efforts of the two Tuareg groups to terminate the jihadists’ activities in the borderlands, the use of ethnic-based militias carries risks of fueling existing tensions between local communities. There is evidence of hegemony playing between the two groups, which can lead to local conflicts if preventive measures are not considered. The jihadist group has claimed a series of attacks in the region, including suicide car bombing against French forces which took place on January 11th, 2018, between Menaka and In-Delimane. These attacks suggested that the jihadist group had attained increased capabilities.

Since early February 2018, there have been joint operations between the French forces of Operation Barkhane and the coalition of local militias including the Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA) and the Tuareg Imghad and Allies Self-defence Group (GATIA), targeting Islamist militants in the Gao and Menaka regions of north-eastern Mali. These operations have resulted in the killings and arrests of a significant number of militants, and seizures of arms, ammunition, vehicles, motorbikes, and other military equipment. The jihadist group has launched a series of attacks retaliating against locals collaborating with international forces against communities considered close to the militias involved in counter-militancy operations.

There is a need to check the activities of armed non-state actors on the Mali-Niger border. While the use of local militias can assist foreign forces with important assets in terms of intelligence gathering and tracking, it can also heighten existing tensions and place civilians at risk. There are reports that the MSA, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, has attempted to eliminate local opposition, and indiscriminately killed Fulani herders. Although the GATIA-MSA joint forces are targeting the jihadists, the latter could take advantage of the complex relationship and ethnic competition between them to commit more acts in the region.

Ademola Olayiwola

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