The Great African Guest

In Mali, transitional authorities remain firmly resolved to combat armed groups. The Jnim jihadists, linked to al-Qaeda, and the independentist rebels of the FLA carried out a series of massive and, for the first time, joint attacks on April 25, which led to the killing of the Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara, and the seizure of Kidal. Since then, Jnim has imposed a blockade on the capital Bamako and increased attacks. Nevertheless, the Malian army and their Russian partners from the Africa Corps continue their operations with determination. Moussa Ag Acharatoumane is a member of the National Transition Council serving as Mali’s legislative body due to the absence of elections for six years. He also leads the MSA, a politico-military group in the Menaka region allied with transitional authorities and fighting alongside the Malian army and the Russian Africa Corps in the North.

RFI: Since the attacks on April 25, opponents of the transition regime believe that the authorities are weakened. Supporters of the military in power, on the contrary, call for unity. For you, I imagine Assimi Goïta is still the president Mali needs?

Moussa Ag Acharatoumane: Of course, Assimi Goïta is still the president Mali needs. He continues to govern his country normally. Despite the attacks on April 25, Mali is a state that is standing, acting, and the defense and security forces have repelled terrorist actions, despite the complexity of the attacks and the presence of internal and external accomplices. Today, we have a very cohesive army, unified command, high morale among soldiers, and operations continue throughout the territory.

Militant attacks continue. Bamako is under siege, but the regime remains solid, ready to face challenges.

The regime is solid, even more so: it is the Malian people themselves who are strong today. Malians love their army, their government, and their country.

The alliance on the ground between Jnim jihadists and FLA independentists, what do you think?

Everyone knows what is called al-Qaeda. The brothers who chose to ally with al-Qaeda did not draw lessons from the 2012 events because there was a similar attempt in 2012, and the whole world is aware of what happened. Some brothers, not all, unfortunately, never distanced themselves from the al-Qaeda network. On the other hand, some have always been major victims of this organization, including some of their top leaders, whose families have been decimated by al-Qaeda. It is the same al-Qaeda today, and it is the same al-Qaeda responsible for the assassination of Ghislain Dupont and Claude Verlon, RFI journalists killed in Kidal in 2013.

We remember, of course.

This alliance is a very bad thing. I believe our brothers need to realize the grave mistake they are making and retreat. They must do exactly like MSA and Gatia (two politico-military groups allied with the transitional regime). They have allied with the Malian army to combat international terrorism.

FLA leaders claim it is only a military alliance against their common enemy, the Malian army and the Africa Corps, and there is no common project.

When we see the official al-Qaeda organ internationally mention its alliance with FLA, when we see Iyad Ag Ghali (Jnim leader) coordinating operations in Kidal himself under Alghabass Ag Intallah (one of the FLA leaders), when we see the parades they have organized in the streets of Kidal with black flags mentioning their satanic project. I repeat, our brothers are mistaken. They were victims of these people in 2012, and the same actors continue in 2026.

Jnim and FLA now control Kidal and Tessalit. The Malian army and the Russian Africa Corps remain present in Aguelhoc and Anéfis. Can we expect a counter-offensive by national forces in the Kidal region?

The defense and security forces are undergoing reorganization and are indeed present in the Kidal region. They are determined, will carry out operations nationwide, and will not cede an inch of territory to a terrorist organization.

General El Hadj Ag Gamou, appointed governor of Kidal by the transitional authorities in 2023 and whom you know well: he is said to be currently in Gao. Is that true? Could he participate in the counter-offensive in Kidal?

General El Hadj Ag Gamou is doing very well; I want to reassure everyone about that. He is in high spirits, grounded, and with his head held high. He is the governor of the Kidal region. Offensives, army reorganization, deployment, operations – these are all handled by the military. His role is to be the governor of this region. He is well and has no issues.

In your Menaka region, the Malian army and the Russian Africa Corps repelled Islamic State offensives at the end of April, a rival jihadist group to Jnim. How is the situation in the city?

Currently, the situation is under control. Administration has resumed, normal life has returned, defense and security forces and their partners are in control of the city, conducting regular patrols. However, the threat remains. We are at war with one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world, so we remain vigilant. But for now, in Menaka, the situation is quite calm.

Dialoguing, negotiating with Jnim and FLA is advocated by some opposition members to the current regime, like the Coalition of Forces for the Republic (CFR) led by Imam Dicko. But this has been a recommendation from all national consultations for about ten years, including the Inter-Malian dialogue organized during the Transition. The current authorities categorically refuse. Are you in favor or against?

Basically, there is no room to negotiate with people who have a project to destroy our country. The Malian state protects its population, its territorial integrity, and there is absolutely nothing to negotiate with these individuals in the current state, unless they reconsider their thoughts and plans. They are Malians, if they come back with better intentions, I think there is room for everyone, but not in these conditions.