“Azawad Freedom Voice” is a bold and analytical platform echoing from the Sahara’s heart. We speak of Azawad—not as others imagine it, but as it truly is.
We ask the difficult questions, unravel the layers of silence, and speak truth to power.
Here, words resist. Thought liberates.
Azawad Freedom Voice News is a page by Azawad Freedom Voice. Focusing on the rights of the Azawadian people and news of Azawad ⴰⵣⵓⴷ.
“The Malian terrorist army and Russian mercenaries are burning remote villages in Azawad and wiping out life from its roots—water, tents, shepherds, and livestock—in a full-fledged campaign of extermination against a land that wants nothing more than to live.”
Azawad Freedom Voice
27-11-25
November 1st
On this day in 2010, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) was born, igniting the first spark of the Azawad liberation struggle and transforming the dream into an organized national project.
Although the roots of armed resistance in Azawad date back to 1963, those earlier stages lacked institutionalized political action and organized media and documentation efforts related to the Azawad cause.
The establishment of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad gave the Azawad struggle its political, media, social, and awareness-raising dimensions, combining consciousness and armed struggle, ideology and organization.
That historical moment was a major turning point, as the Azawad movements subsequently united into a single political and military entity: the National Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FNLA).
This achievement remains attributed to the parent movement, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), which has always been the foundation and driving force of the Azawad project.
Author: Chesnag
01-11-25
MALI: A Critical Reading of the Era of Modibo Keïta (1960–1968)
Despite what is said about Modibo Keïta as the first president of the independent Republic of Mali, his years in power also bore chapters of suffering and tension, especially in the northern regions with a Tuareg majority.
During that period, the northern population suffered from economic, political, and military marginalization, which led to escalating tensions and the outbreak of early rebellions.
The central state’s policies at the time also failed to take into account the cultural and social specificities of the Tuareg, creating a deep rift between the state and Azawadi society.
In addition, the country experienced severe humanitarian crises, such as the 1973 famine, which exposed the fragility of the economic structure and the state’s weakness in the face of natural disasters.
This era must be read with sincerity:
Between the rhetoric of independence and renaissance and the reality of suffering and marginalization, there is a history that requires justice for the victims and a full understanding of the truth, not just half of it.
Azawad Freedom Voice 21-10-25
“A nation that prostrates itself before colonialism and closes its eyes to its brothers laughs at itself while history watches.
The prostrate open their legs to the invaders and leave their fellow citizens to suffocate in the dream of freedom.
Those who betrayed the blood of their ancestors have become a stage for shame and a salute to colonialism.”
Azawad freedom Voice 06-10-25
Official report – a brief incident statement
Date: 18/09/2025
Location : Djouhan – Kidal, Azwad
On the morning of September 18, 2025, a Turkish-made march plane, belonging to the Financial Army and with the support of the Russian Legion, struck two civilian camp in the Djouhan region. The first strike caused injury to a person in a Hilux civilian vehicle belonging to Alhassiga AG Mohamed. As for the second strike, it was painful and resulted in the fall of a number of victims from Azwadi women and children, who were followers of Tamouzok association.
Preliminary information indicates that the victims were unarmed, and that the attack targeted them directly, highlighting the high risks posed by civilians in Azwad.
This report emphasizes the need to open an urgent investigation, document violations, and hold responsible accountable.
Azawad Freedom Voice
The voice of freedom rises from Tinzawaten: Azawad united against occupation. The blood of the martyrs lights our path until we achieve our right to self-determination.
Azawad Freedom Voice
12-09-25
In Kidal, a heinous crime is being committed against its indigenous people
In Kidal, a heinous crime is being committed against its indigenous people. The Tuareg have been expelled from their homes and lands and replaced by immigrants from the south, who are implementing a settlement project aimed at forcibly changing the region’s identity. Worse still, these usurped homes have been transformed into closed dens serving Russian mercenaries, while some engage in prostitution and pimping to please these foreigners.
It’s a double crime: the plunder of land and the plunder of dignity. We are witnessing a systematic process of humiliation, a people being robbed of their land and their homes being desecrated, amidst a suspicious international silence.
What is happening in Kidal goes beyond a mere local conflict; it is an organized process of demographic restructuring. The expulsion of the Tuareg from their homes and lands is not merely a displacement; it is a clear policy of replacement, where elements from the south are being brought in and the presence of Russian mercenaries is exploited to establish a new reality.
The transformation of Tuareg homes into closed headquarters for mercenaries or dens of corruption reflects a desire to destroy the social and symbolic structure of the Tuareg people. It’s not just a military war, but a war on identity, memory, and dignity.
In Kidal, they didn’t just steal the land…
They took away the home, stripped the soul, and desecrated the sanctuary. Tuareg homes became spoils, and the walls of memory became dens of strangers. The Russian mercenary is stationed where the hearth was lit, and the pimp is stationed where prayer was held.
What greater humiliation could there be than for a people to be expelled from their land, and for their homes to be transformed into brothels in the service of the occupier?
It’s a scandal… it’s a downfall… it’s rock bottom.
Azawad Freedom Voice
19-08-25
Related articles – The Wagner babies. and Azawad – a forced change of demographics.
REPORT ON THE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT – AZAWAD
The date: 2025/08/07
This morning, Air Force Finance MEG jets carried out an air bombardment over a remote area in the desert. Photos and data indicate that the area has no military targets, but is inhabited only by some civilian population.
This bombing comes in autumn and spring time in Azwad, where the area is known for calm and serene, raising questions about the purpose of this targeting.
The result was bombing an area devoid of any military targets or facilities of a military nature.
Azawad Freedom Voice
A TESTIMONY OF DIGNITY
This is a letter that was sent to the president of the Untied States from a young courageous Azawadian woman who had to flee to Mauritania due to the conflict. Translated to english:
Mr. President,
I am writing to you today with great hope and emotion. I am a young woman from Azawad, a region in northern Mali, and I am currently living as a refugee in Mauritania due to the conflict that continues to affect our people.
For years, the Malian authorities have subjected my people—the Tuareg and other northern communities—to injustice, discrimination, violence, and deprivation of fundamental rights. We are treated like foreigners in our own lands.
Yet, all we demand is recognition of our identity, the freedom to live in peace, and the right to self-determination in our ancestral territory. We are not terrorists. We are proud, dignified people, rooted in our history and traditions, who simply aspire to justice.
Because of this conflict, I was forced to flee my country as a child. Today, I live in Mauritania, where I courageously continue my studies. Despite the difficulties, I remain optimistic because I have a dream: to become a diplomat and advocate for just causes, especially that of Azawad, on the international stage. I want to represent the voiceless and make our suffering and dignity heard. Mr. President, you have been a man of action, with a strong voice and a strategic perspective on global conflicts. I sincerely hope that you will give our cause attention. The people of Azawad need to be heard, respected, and supported. Your influence can make a difference by encouraging a new perspective on the situation in Mali and helping chart a path toward a just and lasting peace. Thank you for reading this letter. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Your testimony is deeply moving and radiates remarkable dignity. Allow me to say this, with all the sincerity your journey deserves:
- Your courage commands respect:
To flee your homeland at a young age, to persevere in your studies while in exile, and to nurture such a noble dream—to become a diplomat defending just causes—this reveals extraordinary strength of character. Your resilience is an inspiration.
- Your voice already matters:
By expressing with such eloquence both the suffering and the dignity of the Azawad people, you are already fulfilling part of your mission: to give injustice a resounding echo. Every word you write, every step in your educational journey, builds the legitimacy that will make you a credible diplomat. Never underestimate the power of your own story.
- On Azawad: the need for strategic advocacy:
Your call for a “just and lasting peace” strikes at the heart of the challenge. History shows that causes like Azawad gain visibility when they are championed by:
Institutional platforms: NGOs, national parliaments (via friendship groups), regional bodies (like the AU or ECOWAS).
Well-documented narratives: legal reports, academic research, structured testimonies.
Unexpected allies: not just states, but intellectuals, artists, and religious leaders who can humanize the cause.
Your future role? To embody that rigor and legitimacy.
- A roadmap for diplomacy:
Specialize: in international law, conflict resolution, negotiation. Mauritania offers a valuable observatory to understand regional dynamics.
Network with intention: seek mentors—professors, active diplomats, credible NGOs. Programs like Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) or UNITAR can open doors.
Document your journey: write, analyze, publish—even in academic blogs. Make your personal story a body of expertise.
Until the summits arrive…
Your letter is already a diplomatic act. It could be adapted to:
Be sent to foreign affairs committees, Be published (e.g., in Jeune Afrique, Le Monde Diplomatique, or human rights platforms),
Serve as a foundation for a petition (e.g., for a UN session on the Sahel crisis).
Your determination evokes figures like Christiane Amanpour (an exiled child who became a global voice) or Leymah Gbowee (who forced peace in Liberia through grassroots mobilization). The path ahead is demanding—but each step you take today builds a bridge between Azawad and the world.
Keep going. The world needs diplomats who carry the sacred fire of justice.
Azawad Freedom Voice
02-08-25
FREEDOM VOICE – 30-07-25
- Tuareg Women: From the Shadow of the Tent to the Frontline of the Resistance.
Among the Tuareg, women have always been the “guardians of lineage” and the “keepers of knowledge”—but the revolution forced them to carry guns.
In the MNLA and CMA, names like Fatma Ould Said Mohamed (Women’s Coordination) and Amna Kida (Media Wing) have emerged, and they even participate in logistical and field support units.
Women in Azawad are not only the incubators of society, but also fighters in the “identity war.”
Most of them combine Tuareg dress with Kalashnikovs, in a resounding scene:
“If I am stripped of my homeland, I will weave a banner from my mother’s headscarf.”
- The Silent Struggle: Between Water and Oil.
Indeed, most analysts focus on the armed conflict… but beneath the sands of the Taoudni Basin lies black gold and pure water.
2020: A Chinese company—with Algerian support—drilled the first experimental wells, raising the interest of Russia and Africa Corps.
The struggle over these resources is not only between major powers, but also internal:
Fulani (pastoralists) x Songhai (farmers) x Tuareg (nomads) = a fiery triangle.
- Climate… the invisible driver of conflict.
“78% of Azawad has been desertified” = People are fighting not just for independence, but for survival.
When oases disappear, alliance lines shift: not religion, but pasture and water determine peace or war.
The drier the land becomes, the more people turn to weapons instead of pickaxes.
🔥 A response to current challenges.
Dimension, Expansion, Hunger: Reports indicate that a child becomes malnourished every 3 minutes in Timbuktu and Gao (WFP). The army is using the food blockade as a weapon of pressure. Identity: Your deep question: Is Azawad an identity or a geography?
Answer: It is a cultural-spiritual entity that has been administratively absorbed into a state that was not designed for it. The Africa Corps interventions now use drone assassinations instead of direct confrontation. This is an improved version of Wagner 2.0.
The Rhythm of Resistance: The Imzad Against Terrorism.
The imzad is not just a musical instrument; it is the voice of a Tuareg mother when she sings for peace.
In the villages of Aguelhok and Bardia, imzad schools have been incorporated as part of the psychological rehabilitation of former combatants.
The Peace Scenario? Let’s be frank:
Niger’s “Nigervania” model (flexible autonomy) is technically feasible, but it requires:
Clear constitutional recognition of “Azawad” as a distinct identity.
Local wealth management based on a “profit-sharing” system with the central state.
Settling the issue of political representation in Bamako.
Most importantly: The withdrawal of foreign forces is a win-win deal, not a chaotic withdrawal.
Shall we delve deeper into:
Azawadi tribal systems? (Who are the “Imouhag”? What is the relationship of “Kel Ifoghas” to political lineage?)
Poetry and resistance? (The role of Hassani literature and oral traditions)
The map of international powers? (France, Algeria, Russia, China: Who wants what?)
Exploring scenarios for 2026?
By Azawad Freedom Voice 30-07-25
🔥 Voice of Freedom 🔥July 15, 2025 |
The Azawadi people… between two fires!
Between the fire of forced displacement on the Algerian border,
and the fire of persecution at the hands of the Malian coup state, our people are being crushed mercilessly, and their dignity is being buried in the sands of international silence.
But they are a people who cannot be broken… they rise from the ashes.
#Azawad has seen every known crime-terrorists in #Wagner & the illegitimate junta have been committing atrocities: cannibalism, mob lynchings of innocents.
Yet global media & international organizations stay SILENT. Where’s the outrage?
Under the Microscope: “Politics is a Headache” Category
Scientific Name: Intellectually Alienated – Politically Repressed
Characteristics:
Flees from politics as an ignorant person flees from a book.
Describes those interested in public affairs as “headaches.”
Knows analyses of Russia and America by heart, but does not know the name of his tribal leader.
Suffers from a weakness complex, masked by the mask of “I don’t care.”
Accompanying Disorders:
Fear of change.
Rejection of collective responsibility.
Valuing tyranny in the name of comfort.
External political consumption without internal production.
Result:
Remains at the mercy of those who make decisions, because he has surrendered his consciousness to comfort and willingly submitted.
Message:
Politics is not a headache.
Political ignorance is the real pain.
Azawad Freedom Voice ⵙ ⴰⵣ صوت الحرية أزواد ⴰⵣ SOUT AL-HURRIYA AZAWAD
12-07-25
Sahelian Gold… A Looted Wealth!
Mali is among Africa’s leading gold producers, with purity exceeding 22 carats (91.6%) and reaching 24 carats (99.9%).
But despite this wealth, huge quantities are smuggled illegally, particularly to Dubai, depriving the country of vital revenue and fueling corruption.
Mali ranks third after:
Ghana – Africa’s largest gold producer
South Africa – A long history of mining
The wealth exists, but its source is illicit.
Azawad Freedom Voice
12-07-25
#MaliGold #LootedWealth #Corruption #Dubai #VoiceOfFreedomAzawad #Mali #AfricanGold #GoldSmuggling
In the heart of the desert, where the sun shines on a land that knows no breaking.
In the heart of the desert, where the sun shines on a land that knows no breaking, a small child crawls on the sand, carrying nothing but his innocence and determination to cross… Behind him, the flag of Azawad fluttering in the horizon, painted with threads of hope, challenge and identity.
This image is not just a moment, but a narrative of an entire people—a long struggle for dignity, identity, and the right to life.
The child here represents future generations crawling amid the flames of reality, but they are not giving up.
The flag flown above is not a decoration, but a symbol of eternal resilience — a flag of those who were deprived of everything, but did not overdo history.
The plates of knowledge buried in sand indicate that the future is built only by awareness and learning, and that resisting marginalization is not by weapons alone, but by thought, knowledge and patience.
This is a picture of a homeland that did not die, a people that was not conquered, and a history that will not be erased.
No matter how creepy the days are and how heavy the worries are, this child will grow up, and will rise from the sand like a phoenix, with its colors, languages, dignity … Free.
Glory to the enduring.
Victory for the crawlers towards the sun.
Shame on those who wanted to extinguish the light.
Azawad Freedom Voice
10-07-25
“Imouhagh needs nothing but a breeze, shade, and a cup of tea.”
This sums up the entire Saharan philosophy—as if to say: We are invincible because we don’t ask for much, but rather possess contentment as a treasure.
“In its simplicity there is pride, and in its stillness there is dignity.”
Silence for the Imohagh isn’t the absence of sound, but rather its fullness of majesty. Their silence is like deferred thunder.
This is who the Imohagh are:
Masters of the sand, princes of silence, sons of dignity that cannot be bought.
Azawad Freedom Voice
23-06-25
Stolen goods recovered by the Azawad Liberation Front.
A group of Azawad Liberation Front fighters seized a Malian army vehicle carrying goods belonging to ordinary civilians, including shepherds, farmers, and vulnerable citizens, whose property was looted.
This incident once again reveals the Malian army’s exploitation of the population’s suffering and its plunder of their livelihoods under the cover of military operations.
Azawad Freedom Voice ⵙ ⴰⵣ صوت الحرية أزواد ⴰⵣ SOUT AL-HURRIYA AZAWAD
15-06-25
Today, June 13, 2025, the heroes of Azawad rewrote the glory: they crushed the African Legion, just as they crushed Wagner in Tinzawatine on July 27, 2024. Azawad is not a parade ground, but a cemetery for invaders. Victory is ours, and the banner is raised high. #أزواد , #صوت_الحرية_ازواد
The difference between the men of Azawad and the men of Mali:
The men of Azawad have the honor of the land, fight for their people, die standing, and do not sell out their dignity.
The Malian army on the other hand, imports mercenaries, fights for salaries and foreign sovereignty, flees the battlefield, slaughtering innocents and livestock.
Men are known in times of adversity.
Honor is not compromised.
We are Azawad, a thorn in the side of the world.
The French occupation was not just an army, but a wrecking ball for the soul of a nation. They struck down our leaders, smashed our caravans, and divided us across borders we did not recognize. They told us: You are a minority, when in fact we are the echo of the entire desert.
And after what they called “independence,” they handed us over to even more brutal hands. Exclusion continued, marginalization took root, and our identity became a threat in the eyes of the regimes.
We are Azawad. A thorn in the side of the world. We are besieged by all the hatred, and we resist with our voices, our memories, and our identity. We do not ask for pity, but we remind you: those who do not respect us, we will not respect them.
Azawad Freedom Voice 08-06-25
Systematic Racism Against the Tuareg in Mali: From Structural Marginalization to the Elimination of Community Icons. – A Case Study of Abdelhamid Ag Tahama.
Abstract:
This article discusses the structural dimensions of discrimination and racism against the Tuareg in Mali, from a sociological and political perspective. Through the recent case study of the killing of jurist Abdelhamid Ag Tahama, we explore how the Malian regime, along with broad segments of society, reproduced a discourse of exclusion and criminalization against an indigenous component of the country.
The paper argues that the label “rebellion” is nothing more than a systematic attempt to suppress just demands related to dignity, justice, and identity.
Introduction:
Since Mali’s independence in 1960, the Tuareg and Azawad have been victims of a political system based on absolute centralization, ethnic discrimination, and the monopolization of resources, power, and culture.
The Tuareg have not been viewed as an integrated national component, but rather as a constant threat to stability and a source of “chronic rebellion” in the official consciousness.
This perception created an intractable gap of trust between Azawad and the state, and subsequently legitimized violence, marginalization, and even the physical elimination of community figures.
- The Tuareg Between Marginalization and Demonization:
What the Tuareg have experienced is not only economic marginalization, but also the systematic elimination of their identity:
In education: curricula that do not recognize their culture or language.
In the media: discourse that portrays them as foreigners or separatists.
In politics: exclusion from decision-making positions, and the use of some of their representatives as mere decoration without real effectiveness.
In the army: the ongoing purge of their presence, portraying them as a fifth column.
All of this has created a racist public culture that views the Tuareg as a “rebel project,” even if they are righteous sheikhs who recite the Quran, like Abdelhamid.
- Case Study: The Assassination of Abdelhamid Ag Tahama
On May 2, 2025, the scholar Abdelhamid Ag Tahama, known as “Adou,” was assassinated by a group of young men in Timbuktu as he left the hospital to buy medicine for his sick mother. He wasn’t carrying a weapon, wasn’t participating in a demonstration, or even a political activist. He was a spiritual and peaceful voice who spent his life attending mosques and councils.
Despite this, he was dragged, beaten with iron bars and cement, and killed in cold blood… because his name was Touqan, his clothing was different, and his dialect wasn’t theirs.
This crime is not an isolated incident, but rather the result of a social environment that allows for it and implicitly encourages it, through the silence of the majority, the justification of crimes, and the labeling of the victim as “one of them” (i.e., from Azawad).
- Rebellion against injustice is not rebellion against the state:
The Malian authorities and their allies often use the term “rebellion” to criminalize Azawad movements. But the truth is that these movements:
- Arise in an environment of lack of rights.
- Demand dignity, recognition, and justice.
- They do not target civilians or seek spoils, but rather demand something simple: to be treated as human beings, not as suspects.
- Those who raise their voices in the face of injustice are not called rebels, but rather demanding their rights.
Summary and Conclusion:
The killing of “Ado” is not an isolated incident, but rather a sign of a profound collapse in the value system of a society supposedly Muslim, religious, and coexistent.
Racism in Mali is not spontaneous, but rather the product of an institutional and cultural accumulation, sponsored by the state and ignored by the elites.
Demanding Azawad’s rights is not a rebellion, but rather a belated reform of a process that has been distorted for decades.
Recommendations:
- International organizations should document racist crimes in northern Mali.
- An impartial and independent investigation should be opened into the killing of Abdelhamid Ag Tahama.
- Support Azawad cultural and human rights discourse as a tool for peaceful resistance to discrimination.
#Voice_of_Freedom_Azawad
#Justice_for_Abdelhamid
#Timbuktu_is_bleeding
#No_to_racism
#Yes_to_historical_justice
SOS Statement: Ado Ag Tihama Brutally Killed in Timbuktu — and Justice Is Absent
In the name of freedom and the blood unjustly shed,
We issue this statement in the name of every living conscience, after the earth shook and hearts were broken by the horror of what happened in the city of Timbuktu.
On June 4, 2025, while the young man Ado Ag Tihama was escorting his elderly, sick mother to the hospital, he went out to get medicine. Little did he know that this would be his last act, as a mob of savages attacked him, slaughtered him in the street, and mutilated his body amidst complete official silence.
The crime was documented in video and audio, before the eyes of passersby and on mobile phones, while justice watched.
We, as children of an oppressed people who are alive despite the bloodshed, declare the following:
We hold the Timbuktu authorities and the central government responsible for their inaction and complicity.
We demand an urgent and independent international investigation under impartial human rights supervision.
We appeal to the free media and people of conscience to shed light on this heinous crime.
We will not be silent, and we will continue to document and condemn until justice is served.
Let all know: the blood of Ado Ag Tihama will not be forgotten… nor will it be wasted. The blood bill will be paid… no matter how long it takes.
[Voice of Freedom – Azawad]
Date: June 4, 2025
Location: Timbuktu, Azawad
June 4, 2025 — In broad daylight, in the city of Timbuktu, the young man Ado Ag Tihama was brutally murdered while on a humanitarian mission to buy medicine for his sick mother.
He was slaughtered by a savage mob, in full view of everyone.
No state. No justice. No law.
📷 The crime is documented.
✊ We will not be silent.
#JusticeForAdo
#Timbuktu
#Azawad
#BloodInTheStreet
ⵙ ⴰⵣ صوت الحرية أزواد ⴰⵣ ⵙ
ⵙ ⴰⵣ SOUT AL-HURRIYA AZAWAD ⴰⵣ ⵙ
Channel · 10 095 followers
Seven days… and your head is held high
A 19th-century photo shows the severed head of an Azawadi activist, hung on a stake in the public square, by order of the French colonizers. Not only was he killed, but he was hung for seven days or more as an example… but they didn’t understand anything.
They did not sow fear, but awakened pride.
The head was higher than their swords.
Azawad Freedom Voice
29-05-25
So that Azawad does not lose itself.
What happened to the Tuareg in Mali is a deliberate loss of self.
Just as Azaykou said, “To lose our language is to lose ourselves.”
Their language was confiscated from schools and the media.
Their culture was banished from the curriculum.
Their regions were left without roads, hospitals, or opportunities.
Their children grew up in an educational system that neither represented nor understood them.
The result?
A people without a mirror in which to see themselves.
The Tuareg were marginalized geographically, linguistically, and educationally… They lost their presence in the state, but they have not yet lost themselves.
And so, their struggle is an attempt to reclaim what was stolen from them: language, dignity, and place.
In short: when the language was lost, the erasure began.
But there are still those who write, speak, and teach…so that Azawad does not lose itself.
In the heart of the desert… it’s not just a land drawn on a map, but a living memory that pulsates with the name Azawad.
Here, where the sands preserve the footsteps of our ancestors, and the winds whisper the stories of an unbroken people. A map that represents not just borders, but pain, hope, and a cry of identity.
Azawad is not a political shadow, but a cultural flame, music that embraces the sky, and colors that tell an epic of struggle.
From every grain of sand… a story sprouts,
and from every Tuareg tune… a promise of freedom is born.
t.me/AzawadVoiceIn the heart of the desert… it’s not just a land drawn on a map, but a living memory that pulsates with the name Azawad.
Here, where the sands preserve the footsteps of our ancestors, and the winds whisper the stories of an unbroken people. A map that represents not just borders, but pain, hope, and a cry of identity.
Azawad is not a political shadow, but a cultural flame, music that embraces the sky, and colors that tell an epic of struggle.
From every grain of sand… a story sprouts,
and from every Tuareg tune… a promise of freedom is born.
#Voice_of_Freedom_Azawad
#Map_of_Dignity
t.me/AzawadVoice
25-05-25
Looting Azawad in the Sahara Desert
Great Tsarist Russia…
The country of nuclear weapons, Mars, Sukhois, and polar bears…has sent its finest soldiers to comb the Sahara Desert in Mali.
But not to search for terrorism, no, gentlemen…
Rather, to search for a bag of rice, a used television, or even an iron door!
In Tinasakou, the soldiers of Russian greatness are searching shops…breaking locks like bandits, looting as if in a Mongolian caravan!
This isn’t an army, it’s a professional furniture removal squad!
The Russian lifts a “dabash,” carries a refrigerator from an Azawadi house, carries “royalties,”breaks down a door, steals a phone… then shouts to the camera: “We have come to restore sovereignty!”
Who, Mr. Putin?
Your soldiers in Mali are hungry!
If they find a boiled egg in an Azawadi house, they’ll cut it in half and cry with joy!
O Caesar,
Is this your power?
Plundering the bread of the poor in the desert?
This is how empires are built?!
I swear we have seen thieves more respectable than you. Here, in Azawad, pride cannot be plundered, even if you steal everything.
Azawad Freedom Voice
22-04-25
Azawad… The Forgotten Heart of the Great Amazigh Body
When the Desert Calls: Between the Betrayal of Maps and the Longing for Roots.
Yes, the origin of the story is evident in the eyes that never go out, and in the soul suffocating beneath the desert sands, where every atom tells an unbreakable Amazigh history. The Amazigh homeland, from Barqa to Nouakchott, from Carthage to Timbuktu, is an ancient geographical and spiritual unity, predating the state and post-artificial maps.
Timbuktu? It was never marginal, but rather a pulsating heart of trade networks, of science, of thought, of the connection between North and South… between Carthage and the Niger Basin. The story of the simmering conflict begins when the rope between head and body was severed, when borders were drawn in the rooms of Paris and London, not in a desert that speaks Tifinagh.
The division came about through colonialism, and its continuity is the hegemony of the new colonizers. Post-independence wasn’t a full-fledged independence, but rather a mere change of masks: France, America, Russia, Turkey, Israel, the Gulf… all greedy, all at the table, while the owners of the land were outside the scene, silent or excluded.
As for our brothers in the north, as I said: “He who hides for days remains naked.” Where are they in all this? They are preoccupied with trivialities, boasting about caftan and couscous, and fighting over who invented the tagine, while Azawad cries out, Azawagh bleeds, and no one responds.
Azawad is not a separatist issue… but rather a return to its origins. It is the duty of every free Amazigh to support it, and it is the duty of every North African who understands the meaning of sovereignty to recognize it. There is no path to collective liberation without liberating the Great Amazigh Sahara. He who does not have a goal will not know his way, as Mao said, and as the Amazighs said thousands of years ago:
ⵉⵣⴰⵍ ⴰⵣⵓⴼⴰⵏⵜ, ⵉⵖⵣⵣⵓ ⵓⵙⴻⵏ.
ⴰⵣⵡⴰⴷ, A Homeland Before Maps.
Azawad Freedom Voice
18-04-25
Raising Awareness about the Azawad Issue
In this letter, we would like to draw your attention to the Azawad issue, which has yet to find a just and comprehensive solution that meets the aspirations of the Azawad people for freedom and dignity.
The situation in Azawad requires all of us to be aware of the historical and political challenges facing the region, and we must assume our responsibility to raise awareness and pressure the relevant parties to find real, just, and comprehensive solutions.
Since the 1990s, the Azawad people have been fighting for their legitimate rights to self-determination and independence from central hegemony. However, this issue has undergone profound upheavals, during which political and economic conditions have been exploited to divide the Azawad people themselves, weakening the revolutionary movement and leading to its exploitation by various regional and international powers.
We demand only the right to self-determination and for the Azawad people to live in peace and dignity on their land. However, this cannot be achieved amid internal divisions or opportunism that exploits religion and tribe for narrow political purposes. Sustainable solutions cannot be built at the expense of human values and cannot be imposed through mechanisms of violence and terrorism.
We urge you to engage with the Azawad issue as a just humanitarian cause that requires genuine international support to put an end to the ongoing suffering of the people of Azawad. This requires action by relevant parties at all political and humanitarian levels to guarantee the rights of the Azawad people to peace, security, and independence.
In this context, we appeal to you:
Support efforts to achieve peaceful political solutions that guarantee the rights of all parties without exclusion or marginalization.
Condemn all forms of military intervention aimed at destroying Azawad society or turning it into an arena for settling political scores.
Press international parties to provide humanitarian and medical support to the Azawad people suffering the consequences of the conflict.
Azawad is not just a land to be seized and left to the hands of mercenaries; it is a homeland with a long history, a generous people, and a land yearning for peace.
We hope this message resonates with your hearts and minds, and that you will join our efforts to raise awareness and help find just and sustainable solutions to the Azawad issue.
Please accept our highest respect and appreciation.
Azawad Freedom Voice
16-04-25
A statement to the free people of Azawad: Enough! The revolution has been stolen… and the thief is among us!
O people of Azawad,
O sons of mountains, sand, and blood,
O you who were born from the womb of oppression, and nurtured dignity from the bosom of the desert…
We come to you with these words, not as a game, nor as an exaggeration, nor as a means of emotional stimulation…
We come to speak the bitter truth… The real bitter truth: Our problem is not with Mali, our problem is with us!
Yes, listen carefully:
The one who destroyed Azawad is not the enemy coming from far away… but rather the “close one” who stabbed him in the back, the one who was with us in the trench, and today serves in the Bamako palace or in the intelligence offices!
The revolution of the 1990s was stolen… and the thieves of the revolution are the same ones who dominate the scene today. They represent no one but themselves, and their only loyalty is to power and money!
The one who sold his blood, and the blood of the martyrs, and rode the wave of religion, now justifies the killing of innocents in the name of the “caliphate”!
And those who hide behind the tribe use it as a weapon to destroy the unity of Azawad, betraying their people for a position in the enemy’s army!
And those who chanted for freedom became servants of Mali or mouthpieces of Algeria!
And the people? They are killed! They are starved! They are accused of terrorism! They are used as pawns! And they are patient…
We say it today, in a voice that no longer accepts submission:
Azawad will not be liberated while there are traitors in it who wear the garb of mujahideen!
No state will be established while the tribe has become a weapon!
A cause will not rise, and religion has become a trade between blood brokers!
Our message:
To Ayad Ghali and those who follow him: You no longer represent anything but destruction! You are a project of fragmentation, not liberation.
To Al-Haji Gamo: He who gives his weapon to his enemy cannot be trusted with his people!
To every tribal leader who remains silent in the face of injustice: Your silence is treason, and your history will be recorded today not in poetry, but in blood.
To the youth:
O new generation of Azawad, be careful!
Don’t believe the fake turbaned ones, and don’t obey the tribal sheikhs who sold us out in the past.
Create your own leadership and write your own history, with your own voice, not in the shadow of traitors.
O Azawad… Capitals will not liberate you. The United Nations will not do you justice. You will not get your rights until you expel treason from your home and the enemy from your borders!
Azawad Freedom Voice
16-04-25
Report by the Azawad Freedom Voice – regional states position on the Azawad issue and independence.
Introduction
Since the declaration of Azawad’s independence in 2012, political and military tensions in the region have not ceased. The regional states surrounding Azawad—Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Libya—take different positions based on their geopolitical interests. This report explains the positions of these states based on facts and in-depth analysis.
1. Algeria: A Pivotal and Cautious Role.
Algeria considers itself the largest regional power in North Africa and has a long border with Mali, making it a key player in Azawad.
Algeria has adopted a position in support of “the unity of Mali” and has clearly opposed any move for Azawad’s independence, fearing that separatist movements would spread to its territory, especially in the Kabylie region.
Algeria has used its diplomatic influence to brake peace agreements, such as the 2015 Algiers Agreement, but has not provided real support for the Azawadis’ demands for independence.
It hosted several rounds of negotiations between Mali and the Azawad movements, but it always tended towards “integration” solutions within Mali, not complete independence.
It supports intelligence agencies within Azawad to monitor the situation, and it has spies in the region to spy on the movements of the Azawad leaders.
Analysis:
→ Algeria does not want Azawad independence, but it does not want a strong Mali either. It prefers to keep the region weak so that it can intervene and influence as it pleases.
2. Morocco: Pragmatic neutrality.
Morocco does not oppose Azawad independence, but it does not support it openly either.
Morocco focuses on economic and diplomatic relations with Mali and the Sahel countries, and maintains a channel of communication with Azawad leaders without direct intervention.
Morocco has not made any negative intervention against Azawad independence, unlike Algeria, and has not prevented Azawad political activity on its territory.
Morocco sees Azawad as not posing a threat to it, unlike Algeria, which sees its independence as a strategic danger.
Analysis:
→ Morocco prefers to remain neutral and not get involved, but leaves the door open to dealing with Azawad in the future.
3. Mauritania: The dual position.
Mauritania has relations with Azawad, but does not officially support independence.
Mauritania hosts a large number of Azawad refugees, but at the same time works with Mali and Algeria to prevent the escalation of any independence movements.
Its security services occasionally arrest Azawad activists or hand over wanted persons to Mali.
However, it is considered a haven for some Azawad leaders who find it difficult to move around the region due to regional pressures.
Analysis:
→ Mauritania does not support Azawad independence, but it is not a direct enemy of it. Its position is based on balancing security interests and regional pressures.
4. Niger: The security threat first.
Niger completely rejects Azawad independence, fearing that the secessionist contagion will spread to the Tuareg within its territory.
It supports Mali militarily and security-wise and considers itself a partner in the fight against the “separatists”, although its position is not as strong as that of Algeria.
It cooperates with France in intelligence to monitor Azawad movements.
Analysis:
→ Niger considers any independence for Azawad a threat to its national unity, and is therefore a partner of Mali in suppressing Azawad ambitions.
5. Chad: the regional military power.
Chad is a key member of the G5 Sahel group, and is more interested in fighting terrorism than in the issue of Azawad independence.
Despite the presence of Chadian forces in the region, it does not intervene directly in the Azawad issue.
Chad follows France’s policy in the region, and therefore it cannot be expected to support Azawad independence at the present time.
Analysis:
→ Chad is a military power in the region but is not a major player in the Azawad issue.
6. Burkina Faso: The country that changed its position.
In recent years, with the rise of Russian influence in Burkina Faso, it has begun to take more independent positions from France.
However, its official position remains supportive of the unity of Mali, for fear of the instability spreading to it.
It has no direct intervention in the Azawad file, but it cooperates on security matters with Niger and Mali against the armed Azawad movements.
Analysis:
→ Burkina Faso has not shown a decisive position towards Azawad, but it tends to reject any separatist movement due to its fragile security situation.
7. Libya: Chaos and unintended neutrality
Since the collapse of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has become an unstable country, and it does not have a clear position towards the independence of Azawad.
Some Libyan factions sympathize with the Tuaregs, while others see them as a threat due to their previous relationship with Gaddafi.
There are Libyan Tuaregs fighting in the ranks of the Azawad movements, but the Libyan state itself is not an active party in the issue.
Analysis:
→ Libya is not a major player in the Azawad issue due to its internal chaos.
Conclusion: Who is the friend and who is the enemy?
Algeria: The first enemy of Azawad independence, uses spies and covert tactics to thwart it.
Niger: Totally rejects independence and supports Mali against any separatist movements.
Mauritania: Seemingly neutral but cooperates with Mali on security matters.
Morocco: Neutral but does not prevent Azawad activity on its territory.
Chad, Burkina Faso, and Libya: Not directly active in the Azawad issue.
Conclusion:
Azawad stands almost alone in its battle, without clear regional support, but with clear Algerian and Nigerien hostility. If the Azawadis want to achieve independence, they will have to rely on themselves and build new alliances outside the region, especially with global powers that may have an interest in undermining Algerian and Nigerien influence in the Sahel.
Azawad Freedom Voice 05-03-25
Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) The Azawad movements united since nov 30-2024