AZAWAD SUPPORT GROUP – FREEDOM FIGHTERS, FREEDOM WRITERS!

Azawad is not just a region, it is a symbol of struggle, resistance and dignity for a people seeking recognition and self-determination.

The Malian authorities has since the 60s been implementing an ethnic cleansing replacement policy aimed to erase the Tuaregs, Arabs (moors) Peuhls and some others from Azawad. The so called “rebellions” are neither rebellions nor terrorism, they are the resistance of a people forced to fight an existenstial war.

Do they not have the right to live on their ancestral land like any other people?

Rather, they defend their land and people against an occupying army that has committed documented massacres, and against hired foreign militias that practice genocide and displacement under official cover.

The Touaregs wherever they are must know that AES is an alliance designed to exterminate them.

Azawad is at war, not out of a desire for conflict, but out of a refusal to disappear. Every bullet fired is a response to years of oppression. Our revolution is not a cry for vengeance; it is a call for dignity. We do not seek domination, only justice. The forgotten voice of Azawad needs to be heard. People of Azawad deserve justice and dignity.

They fight neither for money nor for glory, they fight for the right to exist on the land where they and their generations before them since millennia were born, and left the tifinagh on the rocks as proof of their existence.

The solution to all the problems is simple… independence of Azawad. it`s long due. People come and go…but the Azawad cause stays. The fight for freedom continues until Azawad is free.

“The Tuareg people have long been marginalized, isolated, crushed, trampled and one day they said enough is enough. They rebelled to say that they exist and that they must have the same rights as other peoples”
Mano Dayak, Interview, 1994

A question that keeps haunting me…
Is revolution like certain trees whose branches will only grow if they are watered?”

BY AZAWAD SUPPORT GROUP, AZAWAD FREEDOM VOICE, TOUMAST INFO & OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

However, it must be remembered that this struggle for freedom has been going on since the 1960s! The people of Azawad have suffered a lot!

We display the headlines of eight news articles on this frontpage, but there is a lot more in the drop-down menus of “Previous posts” – where you can search for months or cathegories.

OVERVIEW OF SPEECH BY MR. BILAL AG ACHERIF.

Amidst an unprecedented media blackout, and despite all the geopolitical shifts sweeping through Azawad and the Sahel in general, Mr. Bilal Ag Acherif delivers a speech that transcends the boundaries of military confrontation, establishing a new political and international legitimacy for the Azawad cause. His speech presents a mature strategic vision that balances adherence to national principles with the pragmatism imposed by the complexities on the ground. Here is a brief overview of the manifestations of this maturity and balance:

01)- Establishing Historical Legitimacy as a Liberating Act Against the Colonial Legacy (01:40 – 03:07):
Mr. Bilal Ag Acherif begins his speech by deconstructing the official narrative of the Malian state, tracing the conflict back to its structural root: the “geographical sin” committed by French colonialism in ignoring the political entities and sultanates that governed the Azawad region before their forced integration into a hybrid entity in 1960. From a political perspective, this historical invocation serves not as a form of nostalgia, but as a legal tool to remove the label of “rebellion” from the Azawad movement and transform it into a legitimate “national liberation movement” that has been waging a continuous struggle for seven decades. This is a message to the international community that the crisis is not a recent development, but rather the result of ignoring historical documents presented by 300 regional dignitaries to General de Gaulle, stating that nothing unites them with Mali, thus making the current resistance a continuation of the stalled path to self-determination.

2) Political Pragmatism and Balancing Absolute Right and Political Possibility (7:39 – 8:53):
In a shrewd reading of the symbolism of the Azawad flag waving behind him, Bilal Ag Acherif presents a formula that combines the authenticity of the nationalist aspiration for independence with the political flexibility imposed by the international balance of power. He describes independence as “a legitimate aspiration and not a violation of international agreements,” but at the same time, he expresses complete openness to any solutions that guarantee “Azawad self-governance” within a consensual framework. This discourse reflects a political maturity that transcends radical slogans; it presents the movement as a “realistic” party ready for dialogue, shifting the burden of political failure onto the Bamako authorities, who “tore up all the papers and burned the promises,” thus granting the Front a moral mandate to pursue its sovereign options in the face of the impasse in peaceful solutions.

3) Redefining Identity: From “Imported Secularism” to “Social Authenticity” (3:15 PM – 4:12 PM):
Correcting misconceptions about the “secularism of the movement” represents a strategic turning point in the discourse directed both internally and externally. Bilal Ag Acherif emphasizes that Azawad society is inherently Muslim and moderate, long known for its tolerance, and that the Front adheres to the “fatwas of Azawad scholars.” It is worth noting that the Front has an official local fatwa body, the “Association of Azawad Scholars,” which adopts moderation as its founding principle. Politically, this declaration aims to strip extremist organizations of their “religious legitimacy” and bridge the gap with the inherently religious popular base. It is a serious attempt to “indigenize” the political discourse, grounding it in the region’s cultural identity. This protects the Front against accusations of Westernization on the one hand, and prevents transnational organizations from infiltrating the social fabric under the guise of religion on the other.

4) Politicizing Military Necessity and the Concept of Organic Territorial Defense (13:46 – 14:53):
When addressing the issue of field coordination with the “Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin” (JNIM), Bilal Ag Acherif shifts to the language of “existential necessity.” In light of the complete international and regional silence regarding the advance of the Wagner mercenaries, he justifies this presence as a case of “common defense” dictated by the existence of an enemy that targets everyone indiscriminately. The political interpretation here lies in the Front’s ability to manage contradictions; it does not ideologically merge with extremist groups, but rather seeks to “indigenize” the conflict and push it towards a “local approach” that serves the region’s aspirations, citing the fact that a large segment of Jabhat Nusrat advocates for adopting a local project. This characterization transforms the Front into a “mature” actor acting out of a national survival instinct, holding the international community responsible for this predicament after the Azawad people were left “to their fate” in the face of marches and systematic killing.

5) The Strategy of Demonizing the Opponent and Internationally Isolating the Bamako Regime (4:42 – 5:22):
Bilal Ag Acherif succeeds in redefining “terrorism” on the ground by branding the ruling authority in Bamako as practicing “state terrorism” through its alliance with the internationally criminal Wagner mercenaries. The reference to burning valleys and killing fleeing civilians aims to strip the Malian regime of its political legitimacy and present it as an illegitimate entity that feeds on the blood of its people. This narrative positions the Azawad movements as the “moral protectors” of civilians and justifies their military operations as acts of “cleansing” the land from mercenary occupation, thus facilitating the mobilization of human rights and regional public opinion in favor of the cause. His brilliance lies in Mr. Bilal’s ability to turn the tables on the ruling clique in Mali. Instead of attempting to exonerate the Azawad Liberation Front from the charge of terrorism, he jumps directly to proving and demonstrating the Malian government’s terrorism with evidence and argument.

6) The Language of Strategic Power and Shattering the Myth of “Military Victory” (18:41 – 19:50):
In part of his speech, Mr. Bilal Ag Acherif shifts to a field dimension imbued with political implications, asserting that “the immediate military objective is the Azawad region,” but at the same time, he does not rule out “moving towards Bamako” to confront the tyranny of the ruling power. This verbal maneuver represents a shift in the Polisario Front’s fighting doctrine. From the perspective of those who follow and support the Azawad cause, the issue is no longer merely about defending remote villages and nomadic herders, but has become a “political will” capable of threatening the center of power in Bamako. The reference to the Front’s possession of a drone system and its ability to manage battles the size of Kidal and Gao aims to break the military arrogance of the Malian regime and send a firm message that relying on Wagner is a losing bet against a people who possess the land, the technology, and the will.

7) Managing Geopolitical Interests and the Sovereignty Offer to Major Powers (26:21 – 27:13):

At the end of the interview, Bilal Ag Acherif presents himself as a statesman capable of speaking the language of international interests, addressing Russia, China, and the West as equals. His emphasis on respecting the economic interests and security concerns of all parties is a highly significant political offer; he presents Azawad as a guarantor of stability in the Sahel region in exchange for recognition of the rights of its people. This discourse seeks to sever the link between Russia and the Bamako regime by making Moscow understand that its economic and strategic interests can be protected through understanding with the true owners of the land, not through mercenaries. It is a decidedly pragmatic reading, moving the issue from the confines of a local conflict to the realm of international balances, where Bilal Ag Acherif refuses to allow these interests to be built “at the expense of the Azawad people’s lives,” offering a developmental and sovereign vision that guarantees everyone’s rights within the framework of a just and lasting settlement.

Secretary General Bilal Ag Cherif’s address in this media appearance was not merely a display of victimhood, but rather a declaration of political independence, even before it was a legal one. He succeeded in outlining the features of the future Azawad: a Muslim entity characterized by tolerance and moderation, mature in its pragmatism and realism, resilient in its armed struggle, and ready for an international partnership that respects its sovereignty.

This is a final call to the world to correct its course regarding the Sahel region and the Azawad issue in particular, before the “Azawad flood” imposes a new reality in which international powers have no option but to recognize the fait accompli. Today, through this address, Azawad no longer asks for “pity,” but rather demands “parity” as a key player whose interests cannot be ignored in the equation of regional security.

Lahcen Ag Tihamma

Here is a link to the full interview with Bilal Ag Acherif for “Al Hadath”.

Azawad Support Group

11-05-26

H O M E

EVERYTHING IS TARGETED IN AZAWAD, CIVILIANS, ANIMALS, EVEN NATURE, THE SITUATION IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

France is responsable for the Azawad situation. They should never have colonized and then attached Azawad to Mali. Two different countries. In conflict since then, especially due to the neglect and oppression by Mali.

The Azawadians did never agree to be attached to Mali, a country they had nothing in common with, and Mali did from the very beginning neglect and oppress Azawad – followed by the start of a genocide, but since they were never able to kill off the Azawadian people they called for help from external forces. Like Wagner, now Africa Corps and who, like the authorities of Mali, admittedly have no interest in human rights. And they use Turkish drones killing entire families. Only a fraction of all the suffering is brought to the attention of the media.

The people of Azawad have been forced to fight for decades, not by choice, but by necessity – to defend their land and identity, to defend their dignity. To survive – it`s an existential struggle, not just with weapons, but also culturally, and there is a cultural and mental and environmental genocide going on as well as an ethnic genocide.

The Azawadians did never ask for or agree to be attached to Mali! but they were force-attached.

Since independence, there has been no peace because it was not one country, but two – with distinct identities, one oppressing the other. Recognize this and peace will follow. #Azawad

In #Azawad there are no basic necessities like running water, schools, hospitals or roads due to state neglect. And when people ask for their rights they are labeled as terrorists by the junta and their supporters.. That is a common tactic by oppressive regimes and has also happened in other parts of the world when people are fighting for freedom against oppression, they label them terrorists.

Can you, members of the international community, imagine what it must be like to live under these attacks and oppression from Fama and Africa Corps (ex Wagner)? For example, living in the desert, where you hear the noise from far away in the silence, and suddenly… you hear the noise of engines in the middle of the night? Someone is approaching and you know it is death.

We can always do something, if there´s a will, there´s a way like Bob Marley used to say. For example, the least we can do is react. We can stop being silent! we can at least try to let the world know what is happening in Azawad. Silence kills.

We can also help with donations when Azawad Solidarity and local organizations has campaigns. Any donations helps, no matter how small. They recently had a very successful campaign and they posted a lot of pictures and information on the social media as well as made a video of the deliverance of medecines to refugees in Tinzawatine, you can read about it here.

Fama and Africa Corps (ex Wagner), they come to a village… and then they leave that village with a scar that takes generations to heal. And justice is still absent, but silence is not!!

Sunset on October 7 from the strip separating Tinzawatine in Algeria and Azawad. Photo: Lahcen Ag Touhami.

Where are the human rights organizations regarding the suffering of the Azawadian people? Are you just decorations or are these people not human beings to you? #A-Voice-in-Azawad …

The daily life of the people of Azawad has become a nightmare, marked by violence and terror. The repeated incursions of the Africa Corps (ex Wagner) forces and the FAMA have plunged entire communities into indescribable suffering.

Entire villages are reduced to ashes, their homes burned, their property plundered without mercy. The meager pastures, source of life for the herders, are also ravaged by the flames, destroying all hope of subsistence.

Forced into exile, men, women and children find themselves surviving under modest sunshades, without shelter or resources, exposed to extreme precariousness. This blind violence destroys not only lives, but also entire generations, threatening the future of Azawad and the dignity of its inhabitants.

Please, if you are willing and able, support the suffering people and the fight for a free Azawad. The blood of the Azawadians is wasted while their just cause remain forgotten! What a shame! A sad reality! Their lives are worth as much as those of others, but they are considered useless in the eyes of the exploiters! Who can do anything about this situation?

AZAWAD IS BLEEDING…. THEY NEED OUR HELP AND SUPPORT!

You don’t compare the one who fights for money to the one who fights for his dignity. One sells his soul, the other defends his freedom.

IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE AFRICA CORPS (ex WAGNER) TO HELP THE ILLEGAL PUTSCHISTS CARRY OUT ETHNIC CLEANSING IN THE SAHEL REGION IN DISREGARD OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.