MALI FINDS NEW ALLIES AGAINST AQIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAMAKO 000504

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR PREL PTER ML
SUBJECT: MALI FINDS NEW ALLIES AGAINST AQIM

REF: A. BAMAKO 445

B. BAMAKO 460

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Henry Barlerin, Embassy Ba
mako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Embassies Algiers and Tripoli have cleared on this
message.


2. (C) Summary: During a pause in Mali's offensive against Al
Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM),Malian President Amadou
Toumani Toure (ATT) has been active in lining up new allies
for that fight. On the margins of a conference in Bamako on
implementation of the Algiers Accords, the Malian government
secured from the Tuareg rebel group Alliance for Democracy
and Change (ADC) a commitment to form special units of former
rebel soldiers to pursue AQIM, and at the recent African
Union Summit in Libya and the meeting of Non-Aligned nations
in Egypt, ATT announced having secured new commitments from
Libya and Algeria to share military equipment and
intelligence. Meanwhile, France has donated 28 trucks to the
Malian Army fulfilling a previous commitment. These recent
developments on the diplomatic front make clear that ATT and
the Malians are pursuing multiple alliances in the fight
against Al Qaeda. End Summary.

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Taking a Breather (To Make Friends)
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3. (SBU) During the recent Non-Aligned Nations conference,
ATT announced to the government newspaper, L'Essor, that
Malian forces had suspended their active military operations
against AQIM and had returned to their principal forward
operating bases in Timbuktu and Tessalit. ATT indicated that
the pause was due to the start of the rainy season, which
negatively impacted maneuverability and raised dust in the
air, reducing visibility. The AQIM ambush on July 4 that
killed more than 20 Malian troops may have also influenced
ATT to consolidate Malian military positions prior to
pressing forward (see reftels).


4. (SBU) During the meeting of Non-Aligned nations in
Sharm-el-Sheikh, and at an earlier African Union summit in
Libya, ATT spoke with Libyan leader Mouammar Kadhafi and
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Press reports
indicate ATT secured new commitments from Libya and Algeria
to share both military resources and intelligence with Mali
in their joint efforts against AQIM.

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New Focus on the Algiers Accords
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5. (C) Representatives of the Malian government and the
Tuareg rebel group Alliance for Democracy and Change (ADC)
met the weekend of July 18-19 in Bamako to discuss the status
of implementation of the Algiers Accords, originally signed
July 4, 2006. Algerian Ambassador to Mali Abderkrim Gheraieb
facilitated the meeting. The meeting reviewed recent
progress towards the implementation of the accords, including
the upcoming launch of a much-anticipated socio-economic
reintegration program for former rebels. A ceremony
officially inaugurating the reinsertion program took place
July 25 in Kidal.


6. (C) As Mali re-engages its northern regions, the Tuareg
rebels have agreed to assist the Malian government in its
fight against Al Qaeda. Specifically, the ADC has agreed
that special "mixed" units of former Tuareg rebels under the
command of Malian officers can be used to track and hunt down
AQIM forces in northern Mali. Such "mixed" units were
anticipated by the Algiers Accords but not yet implemented.
It is still unclear if the agreement to use mixed units to
pursue AQIM will overcome the government's reluctance to
fully integrate former rebels into the military. However,
the agreement could provide a powerful incentive for the
Malian government to do so, as the Tuareg rebels - like AQIM
- possess an intimate knowledge of the north's terrain, and
the ability to operate effectively in the harsh desert
environment. More than one Embassy source has expressed the
view that only the Tuaregs are capable of chasing AQIM from
Malian territory, reflecting doubt that the Berabiche Arabs
currently allied with the government will provide a
sustainable effort against AQIM.

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The French Deliver on a Commitment

BAMAKO 00000504 002 OF 002


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7. (SBU) On July 16, France presented Malian Minister of
Defense Natie Pleah with 28 all-terrain vehicles to reinforce
the capabilities of Malian troops. As previously reported,
the Malian army is woefully underequipped, and the French
contribution meets one of the Malians' more pressing needs
(Ref B). The vehicles fulfill a previous commitment to the
Malians by the French and are in addition to 12 Land Rovers
provided in 2008.

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Comment:
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8. (C) Recent developments on the diplomatic front make clear
that ATT and the Malians are pursuing multiple alliances in
the fight against Al Qaeda. The threat from AQIM has
evidently also created a powerful incentive for Mali to live
up to its commitments to the Tuaregs under the Algiers
Accords. Mali looks to the United States for support and
training, but is leaving no other stones unturned in its
search for support and allies in the region and
internationally.



MILOVANOVIC