A delegation of the Islamist Ansar Eddine movement, led by Iyad Ag Ghali Algiers – Hocine Bousaleh A delegation of the Islamist Ansar Eddine movement, led by Iyad Ag Ghali, has arrived in Algeria to seek a solution with the Algerian government for the situation in Mali. The delegation includes elders and dignitaries from Kidal, north Mali, with the aim to discuss last resort solutions to avoid a military intervention in Mali.
Another delegation from the same movement headed to Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, with the same objetive. Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaoré is the mediator of the ECOWAS Group, which is preparing for a military intervention in Mali.
Close sources to the movement said its leader Ag Ghali is working on keeping his actions distant from the west, accusing Ansar Eddine of being related to extremist armed groups including al-Qaeda and the Tawhid and Jihad movement.
He stressed his attempts to highlight the movement’s role in discussing ways of negotiation and peace with the government of Mali while serving the interests of the Azwad people.
Earlier, Iyad Ag Ghali sent delegations to Algeria for the same reason.
France declared that the Ansar Eddine movement is no different from al-Qaeda or Tawhid and Jihad, describing it as a terrorist movement.
Spokesman of the movement, Sandeh Ould Bou Amama accused France of dragging the world into a war of interests in the region.
The visit coincides with meetings in Bamako where military operations on the ground are being prepared.
Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal which have been occupied by armed groups since April, remain the target of the Malian forces supported by ECOWAS forces (estimated at 3300 soldiers) and with the support of the West.
Algerian military forces formed 27 units to monitor the road linking Bagji Mokhtar and Timiaawin after armed forces tracked security gaps which allowed terrorist groups to enter the area several times.