RHISSA, THE MAN WHO WON THE BATTLE OF TINZAWATEN.
“Prisoners can be exchanged in exchange for the departure of Russian forces from Azawad forever”
By Contre-Poison August 16, 2024.
The Battle of Tinzawaten represents Wagner’s first major defeat on the African continent. From July 25 to 27, it pitted the fighters of the Permanent Strategic Framework for the Defense of Azawad (CSP-DPA) against the mercenaries of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner and the soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa). Colonel Hamad Rhissa Ag Hamad-Assala, chief of staff of the Coordination of Movements of Azawad, is the architect of this victory, the stakes of which extend far beyond West Africa. This exchange was translated from Tamashek.
Loup Viallet, Director of Contre-Poison – Many Tuareg and Fulani civilians have told me that since the departure of Barkhane and the arrival of Wagner, they have been undergoing a real ethnic cleansing. Is the Bamako junta, supported by Wagner’s elements, carrying out a purge of these populations in northern Mali? Did the departure of Barkhane precipitate this situation?
Colonel Hamad-Rhissa Ag Hamad-Assalah – Fighting the junta is a moral obligation for every Azawadian, whether civilian or military, whether armed or not. The junta brought in Wagner’s mercenaries with the aim of carrying out an ethnic cleansing of the Azawadians, as evidenced by the fact that all the cities attacked by the Malian Armed Forces and Wagner saw thousands of civilians killed and trapped in mines after their passage. The battle of Tinzawaten was the first battle between the CSP and the junta. Apart from that, they only killed Azawadian civilians who have no connection with the fighters.
Barkhane refused to do the dirty work of purging the northern communities for the benefit of Bamako.
The departure of the Barkhane force was organized by the Malian junta because Barkhane refused to do the dirty work of purging the northern communities for the benefit of Bamako and categorically refused to wage war in place of the Malian army. Since then, they have dealt with Wagner, a recognized terrorist organization, so that it can exterminate the populations of the North and plunder their property and resources. The junta pays them for this.
Last Friday, August 3, the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to Dakar for “apology for terrorism”. The Ukrainian diplomat had reiterated his country’s “unequivocal support” for those who defeated the Wagner and the Fama in Tinzawaten. Do you see the Senegalese government as an ally of the Bamako junta? What do you say to the Senegalese authorities who call you “terrorists”?
The Ukrainian ambassador is only defending his interests. Ukraine is at war with Russia and any person or organization that fights its enemies becomes its ally. The CSP issued a statement to ECOWAS, of which Senegal is a member. In the statement, the CSP reminded ECOWAS that Mali withdrew from the organization to found the AES. The ECOWAS statement in favor of Mali proves that this organization is not neutral.
ECOWAS is a racist organization.
The Azawadians are West Africans just like the Malians, Mali having committed more crimes than all. This proves that ECOWAS is a racist organization, calling the Azawadians terrorists without worrying about Wagner’s crimes.
The CSP-DPA claims to have captured about fifteen prisoners, including mercenaries from the Wagner group. What are their profiles? How are they treated? Do you intend to use them as bargaining chips?
Prisoners can be exchanged in exchange for the departure of Russian forces from Azawad forever.
When there is war, there are always human losses, but the CSP remains within the framework of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. The CSP does not sell prisoners or exchange them for any interest unless there are interests for the people of Azawad, and Russia recognizes its wrong, namely having come to the Azawadians to fight them in the name of Mali for no reason.
Prisoners can be exchanged in exchange for the departure of Russian forces from Azawad forever. Otherwise, the CSP does not exchange prisoners for cash.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Tinzawaten, the spokesman for the Ukrainian intelligence service GUR said on 29 July that “the rebels received the necessary information, and not just information, that allowed a successful military operation against Russian war criminals.” What was the nature of the assistance provided by Ukraine? Did Ukraine help train your fighters? Did Kiev provide you with drones?
We are not aware of Ukraine’s assistance in terms of intelligence and drone support. The Tinza battle was led by the CSP.
According to the Malian junta, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (linked to Al-Qaeda) participated in the Tinzawaten battles. Are they your allies?
The battle of Tinza was led by the Azawadians and won by them.
What are your war aims? To recover Kidal? Inafarak? To overthrow the Bamako junta? To obtain autonomy for the territories of Northern Mali? To create the conditions for the independence of the State of Azawad?
The CSP’s fight is a fight for the freedom of Azawad as a whole and not for a particular region. All regions of Azawad are equal in the eyes of the CSP.
If Azawad were autonomous (or independent), how would it be organized? How would its population live? Would it be an Islamic republic regulated by sharia or a state respectful of religious pluralism?
Azawad is led by the CSP.
The people of Azawad have been 100% Muslim since the dawn of time and today it will be an Islamic country like Mauritania and Algeria. Azawad is led by the CSP, it is the only organization that seeks the independence of Azawad and the only force capable of imposing itself is the CSP. It has a single political office and a single army composed of all.
How do you see the future of the Alliance of Sahel States? What do you have to say to the juntas of Ouagadougou and Niamey who welcomed Russian instructors and Wagner mercenaries?
The Alliance of Sahel States is a non-event.
The Alliance of Sahel States is a non-event, it is made up of putschists from the three countries. It is neither legitimate nor recognized by any international institution. Its sole purpose is to fight the indigenous populations of Liptako, the Sahara and the center, the Peuls, the Arabs and the Tamasheks [the Tuareg, editor’s note]. They know very well that they can do nothing alone.
On July 30, the President of the French Republic recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara. Thus, the inviolability of borders is no longer a taboo for France, which seems ready to support the territorial claims of states that understand its interests. If you were in front of the President of the French Republic and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, what would you have to say to them?
If there is one African country whose sovereignty must be recognized by France, it is Azawad. It was France that united us with Mali in the past and today, it is France that must separate us from Mali. This is our wish addressed to both France and the European Union, who are well aware of the realities that separate us from Mali.
What would you have to say to French and European public opinion? How should they feel concerned by your fight?
We are pleading for the European Union to have a new look at the Azawadians, a people who have fought for many years for their freedom, and this since France united us with Mali without our agreement.
What France and the European Union have been looking for with Mali for so many years and have not found, namely good collaboration, security, mineral interests, the development of European companies, they will find with the Azawadians.
We will never stop fighting for our land.
Mali will never be able to give a guarantee on our territories and we will never stop fighting for our land. We ask partners who want to work on our soil to give us a hand for support and a winning partnership in the future.
If you wish to react to this interview you can express your point of view in the comments or write to us on – [email protected]
Republished with permission by Contre-Poison.
Here you can read the original interview in french and also see a video from the battle of Tinzawatine.
17-08-24
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