Tawhid and Jihad threatens France of all-out war for anti-Islam stance Nouakchott – Mohammad Sharif Aabidi Mauritanian leader of Tawhid and Jihad group in West Africa, Hamad Ould Mohammed al-Khairy, threatened France of an all-out war for “its hostility to Islam and Muslims". He confirmed holding the three kidnapped Europeans (two Spanish and one Italian) taken from South Algeria as hostages.
Former AQIM leader, Ould Mohamed El Kheiri, announced in a video seen by AFP that his new splinter group was behind the kidnapping of the three Europeans in Rabuni camp, south of Algeria. AFP also reported that this leader appeared with black glasses and a turban, and threatened the French in this video, showing the European hostages.
Ould al-Khairi spoke, according to AFP, about the beliefs of his group and its visions, asserting on the need to practice “Jihad in Africa until the application of Sharia laws”, adding that “Jihad will be issued to every place in the world because it is necessary” and that “They are doing it for Allah sake”, calling upon his fellows to be ready for Jihad with everything they have.
According to regional expert, the new splinter group is chiefly formed of Arabs from North Mali, led by former AQIM leader Badi Ould Soltan. The group chose Ould Mohammed al-Khairi as its advisor, after a period of isolation which he spent teaching children in one of the Arab neighborhoods in North Mali, following a dispute between him and one of the AQIM leaders.