Iyad ag Ghali

Having claimed responsibility for attacks in the west and far south of Mali in late June Ansar's leader Iyad ag Ghali is reportedly still living in the Algerian half of the border community of Tin Zaouatine in Tamanrasset Province...

In April a split in the MNLA between Colonel Mohammed ag Najem and Bilal ag Acherif nephew of veteran jihadist Ansar Eddine leader Iyad ag Ghali weakened the MNLA forces in Ménaka (AC Vol 55 No 6 Talking Timbuktu)...

There are unconfirmed rumours that some jihadists may have fought alongside the MNLA in Kidal and even that the veteran Tuareg troublemaker Iyad ag Ghali may have been present...

Nor has it won Malian support by tolerating according to some reports the presence in southern Algeria of the Ansar Eddine founder and Tuareg noble Iyad ag Ghaly...

Political supremo Ag Acherif is an Ifoghas and the nephew of Iyad ag Ghali the veteran rebel whose exclusion from the MNLA leadership – partly on account of past hostility towards the Idnan – spurred Ag Ghali to join forces with Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and wreck the MNLA rebellion...

Compaoré’s next controversial engagement was with Iyad ag Ghali leader of the Tuareg jihadist group Ansar Eddine...

Despite the killing in late February of Abdel Hamid Abou Zeid a prominent commander from Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) other key Islamist leaders are still at large including Iyad ag Ghali the founder of Ansar Eddine (AC Vol 54 No 3 Alghabass ag Intallah changes sides)...

The plan was for a twofold strike: Sanogo’s troops would knock out the Bamako government as jihadists from Iyad ag Ghaly’s Ansar Eddine forces began their southwards march on 10 January...

Ag Intallah has established himself as a key player in the remaking of the north by distancing himself from Iyad ag Ghali’s jihadists in Ansar Eddine...

To the fury of Ansar Eddine boss Iyad ag Ghali Ag Intallah joined Algerian-brokered talks with the government...