President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta says his envoy Dioncounda Traoré had his full authority to initiate talks with jihadist chiefs Iyad ag Ghaly and Amadou Koufa – after years of government insistence there would be no negotiation with terrorists (AC Vol 61 No 1 Advantage jihadists)...
Meanwhile the special envoy for central Mali former interim head of state Dioncounda Traoré says he has put out feelers to the jihadist leaders Amadou Koufa and Iyad ag Ghaly alarming his Western collaborators...
Amadou Koufa the leader of this katibat recently escaped an anti-terrorist operation launched by the Malian army with French operational support (AC Vol 59 No 4 Fertilising dialogue & 59 No 24 Blow to jihadists)...
Since late 2018 the defence of Fulani communities has been at the very heart of propaganda by Amadou Koufa who has called on Fulanis everywhere from Benin to Cameroon to join the fray...
Intelligence analysts believe Malian jihadists suffered a serious setback when French troops of Opération Barkhane killed Amadou Koufa the militia leader...
Vol 59 No 5 |
- BURKINA FASO
The other partners are the Front de libération du Macina led by the firebrand preacher Amadou Koufa and the largely Tuareg Ansar Eddine under the leadership of Iyad ag Ghali which vandalised Timbuktu in 2012 (AC Vol 53 No 8 Rebel against rebel – against the rest)...
The group was led until his killing in May 2017 by Ibrahim Malam Dicko another firebrand preacher and associate of Amadou Koufa...
It is here that the jihadist preacher Amadou Koufa has exploited the grievances of young Peul (Fulani) herdsmen...
The other key face is Amadou Koufa a radical preacher with a considerable following among the Peulh of Mopti region in central Mali (AC Vol 58 No 6 More progress less movement)...
Vol 58 No 6 |
- BURKINA FASO
With remnants of MUJAO moving to central Mali and the appearance of another outfit in the same region the Front de libération du Macina (FLM) led by the equally tough-talking Amadou Koufa joining forces with Malam's followers was only a matter of time (AC Vol 57 No 19 Instability goes national)...
This is a region where jihadists from abroad have exploited local radical preaching by the likes of Amadou Koufa along with resentment of military heavy-handedness and longstanding inter-communal grievances (AC Vol 56 No 24 Attack targets peace deal)...
After being linked to a spate of attacks in the Mopti region the FLM suffered a setback when the authorities detained Allaye Bocari Dia who has played a key role in its financing and is seen as the right-hand of the FLM leader fiery preacher Amadou Koufa...