Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAMAKO47
2009-01-23 12:04:00
SECRET
Embassy Bamako
Cable title:
MALI ARMY BATTLES TUAREGS NORTH OF KIDAL AS
how-toVZCZCXRO3542 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHBP #0047/01 0231204 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 231204Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9936 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0541 RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAMAKO 000047
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2019
TAGS: PINR PINS PTER ASEC PREL ML
SUBJECT: MALI ARMY BATTLES TUAREGS NORTH OF KIDAL AS
TOURISTS GO MISSING ALONG NIGER BORDER
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAMAKO 000047
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2019
TAGS: PINR PINS PTER ASEC PREL ML
SUBJECT: MALI ARMY BATTLES TUAREGS NORTH OF KIDAL AS
TOURISTS GO MISSING ALONG NIGER BORDER
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1.(C) Summary: The Malian army clashed with Tuareg rebels
led by Ibrahim Bahanga on January 22 near Boughressa north of
Kidal. Preliminary reports from the Malian side indicate
perhaps as many as 20 to 30 rebels killed and several more
taken hostage. Tuaregs reported many fewer casualties, with
four rebels simply listed as "missing". As fighting
continued in the north, four European tourists departing a
Tuareg festival in Anderamboukane on the Malian side of the
Mali-Niger border were abducted by unknown assailants. The
kidnapping reportedly occurred between Anderamboukane and
Bani-Bangou in northern Niger. End Summary.
--------------
Battle of Bourghessa
--------------
2.(C) During the ceremony to commemorate Malian armed forces
day on January 20, Malian Minister of Defense Natie Pleah
claimed that the Malian military had, on January 19,
"destroyed" Tuareg rebel leader Ibrahim Bahanga's "principal"
base in Tin-Aselak in northern Mali. Tuaregs were quick to
point out that Bahanga had abandoned Tin-Aselak many months
before and that the Malian army had done nothing more than
roll into an empty outpost.
3.(C) On January 22, however, actual combat occurred near
the northern town of Bourghessa where the Malian army - or
more precisely the paramilitary Ighad Tuareg militia led by
the Malian army Colonls Elhedj Gamou and Mohamed Abderahmane
ould Meyou - clashed with Bahanga's Northern Mali TuaregAlliance for Change (ATNMC). The fighting comes ater
President Amadou Toumani Toure told the country on January 20
that while he remained committed to a peaceful settlement
with Kidal Tuaregs, he would use all "operational means" to
secure northern Mali.
4.(C) Both the Malian government and Tuareg contacts
described the fighting as fierce. Deciphering just how
fierce has been more difficult, although it does appear that
Col. Gamou and Col. ould Meydou have the upper hand. In the
words of one Tuareg source: "There is the Rebellion, the
Army, and then the Truth." The Malian army has claimed to
have killed 31 rebels, wounded 15 and captured 25. A local
newspaper quoted an unnamed source in Kidal that cited 10
killed and 9 captured rebels. Tuaregs claim that only two
rebels have been captured and listed four others as "missing."
--------------
Four Western Tourists Kidnapped
--------------
5.(C) Meanwhile, unknown assailants captured four western
tourists (2 Swiss, 1 British, and 1 German) between the
Malian border town of Anderamboukane and the Niger town of
Bani-Bangou on January 22. The four had attended a Tuareg
festival in Anderamboukane and were on their way back to
Niamey when their convoy of three vehicles was stopped. All
but one vehicle, with its four occupants, managed to escape.
At least some of drivers returned to Anderamboukane on the
Mali side of the border to raise the alarm.
6.(C) Like the December 14 kidnapping of the two Canadian
diplomats in Niger, the attackers apparently declined to
steal the tourists' vehicle. Unlike the case of the
Canadians, the tourists' Nigerien driver was either left
behind or escaped. The three drivers' escape raises the
possibility of an eye witness who could at the very least
provide first hand indications of how the attackers were
dressed and armed, what language they spoke, and what accents
they had.
7.(S) One Malian government official close to both President
Toure and the influential Minister of Territorial
Administration, General Kafougouna Kone, told the Embassy on
January 22 that he expected the captured tourists, like the
Canadians, would be passed to AQIM in northern Mali. A
generally well-informed Tuareg from Kidal also told the
Embassy that he also expected the tourists to end up with
AQIM.
8.(C) The Canadians currently have upwards of 20 people in
Mali dealing with their own hostage crisis. The British have
just one local hire in country. The Swiss may have one person
based in Bamako. The Germans generally have a nine diplomats
in Mali and are expecting a fly-in team that could arrive in
Mali as soon as January 23.
BAMAKO 00000047 002 OF 002
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2019
TAGS: PINR PINS PTER ASEC PREL ML
SUBJECT: MALI ARMY BATTLES TUAREGS NORTH OF KIDAL AS
TOURISTS GO MISSING ALONG NIGER BORDER
Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1.(C) Summary: The Malian army clashed with Tuareg rebels
led by Ibrahim Bahanga on January 22 near Boughressa north of
Kidal. Preliminary reports from the Malian side indicate
perhaps as many as 20 to 30 rebels killed and several more
taken hostage. Tuaregs reported many fewer casualties, with
four rebels simply listed as "missing". As fighting
continued in the north, four European tourists departing a
Tuareg festival in Anderamboukane on the Malian side of the
Mali-Niger border were abducted by unknown assailants. The
kidnapping reportedly occurred between Anderamboukane and
Bani-Bangou in northern Niger. End Summary.
--------------
Battle of Bourghessa
--------------
2.(C) During the ceremony to commemorate Malian armed forces
day on January 20, Malian Minister of Defense Natie Pleah
claimed that the Malian military had, on January 19,
"destroyed" Tuareg rebel leader Ibrahim Bahanga's "principal"
base in Tin-Aselak in northern Mali. Tuaregs were quick to
point out that Bahanga had abandoned Tin-Aselak many months
before and that the Malian army had done nothing more than
roll into an empty outpost.
3.(C) On January 22, however, actual combat occurred near
the northern town of Bourghessa where the Malian army - or
more precisely the paramilitary Ighad Tuareg militia led by
the Malian army Colonls Elhedj Gamou and Mohamed Abderahmane
ould Meyou - clashed with Bahanga's Northern Mali TuaregAlliance for Change (ATNMC). The fighting comes ater
President Amadou Toumani Toure told the country on January 20
that while he remained committed to a peaceful settlement
with Kidal Tuaregs, he would use all "operational means" to
secure northern Mali.
4.(C) Both the Malian government and Tuareg contacts
described the fighting as fierce. Deciphering just how
fierce has been more difficult, although it does appear that
Col. Gamou and Col. ould Meydou have the upper hand. In the
words of one Tuareg source: "There is the Rebellion, the
Army, and then the Truth." The Malian army has claimed to
have killed 31 rebels, wounded 15 and captured 25. A local
newspaper quoted an unnamed source in Kidal that cited 10
killed and 9 captured rebels. Tuaregs claim that only two
rebels have been captured and listed four others as "missing."
--------------
Four Western Tourists Kidnapped
--------------
5.(C) Meanwhile, unknown assailants captured four western
tourists (2 Swiss, 1 British, and 1 German) between the
Malian border town of Anderamboukane and the Niger town of
Bani-Bangou on January 22. The four had attended a Tuareg
festival in Anderamboukane and were on their way back to
Niamey when their convoy of three vehicles was stopped. All
but one vehicle, with its four occupants, managed to escape.
At least some of drivers returned to Anderamboukane on the
Mali side of the border to raise the alarm.
6.(C) Like the December 14 kidnapping of the two Canadian
diplomats in Niger, the attackers apparently declined to
steal the tourists' vehicle. Unlike the case of the
Canadians, the tourists' Nigerien driver was either left
behind or escaped. The three drivers' escape raises the
possibility of an eye witness who could at the very least
provide first hand indications of how the attackers were
dressed and armed, what language they spoke, and what accents
they had.
7.(S) One Malian government official close to both President
Toure and the influential Minister of Territorial
Administration, General Kafougouna Kone, told the Embassy on
January 22 that he expected the captured tourists, like the
Canadians, would be passed to AQIM in northern Mali. A
generally well-informed Tuareg from Kidal also told the
Embassy that he also expected the tourists to end up with
AQIM.
8.(C) The Canadians currently have upwards of 20 people in
Mali dealing with their own hostage crisis. The British have
just one local hire in country. The Swiss may have one person
based in Bamako. The Germans generally have a nine diplomats
in Mali and are expecting a fly-in team that could arrive in
Mali as soon as January 23.
BAMAKO 00000047 002 OF 002
MILOVANOVIC