Haroun Ag Said, nom de guerre Abou Jamal, was a Malian Tuareg rebel and commander, and a close confidant of Iyad Ag Ghaly.
Haroun Ag Said | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Abou Jemal |
| Died | April 29, 2014 Borisa, Kidal Region, Mali |
| Allegiance |  Mali (1997-2006)ADC (2006)  Ansar Dine (2012-2014) |
| Rank | Lieutenant-colonel (Mali) Emir (Ansar Dine) |
| Battles/wars | Tuareg rebellion (1990-1996) Tuareg rebellion (2006) Mali War |
Biography edit
Little is known about Said's early life. Said took part in the Tuareg rebellion of the 1990s, where he was seriously injured in the throat.[1] Following the peace agreements that concluded the rebellion, he joined the Malian Army.[1] He served for seven years as a second lieutenant in the Léré garrison and was company commander in Diabaly for a time.[2][1] During this time, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[3]
Said deserted from the army in 2006 to join the May 23, 2006 Democratic Alliance for Change (ADC) and fought under Iyad Ag Ghaly. He disarmed following the Algiers Accords.[1] In May 2008, he led fifty men in an attack on the garrison in Diabaly, killing one Malian soldier.[2] He rejoined Iyad Ag Ghaly in Ansar Dine when the Mali War broke out in 2012, and was said to be his right-hand man and a senior figure in the movement.[3] In January 2013, he commanded jihadist forces at the Battle of Diabaly. While he captured the city, he was forced to flee due to French intervention.[2]
Said was killed on April 29, 2014, by French special forces in Borisa, Kidal Region. According to MINUSMA, he and two other fighters were killed in a vehicle.[3] A French army spokesman, without naming Said, stated a militant "died with weapons in his hands", and claimed two other combatants surrendered to French forces.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Mali: un proche d'Iyad Ag Ghali tué par l'armée française". RFI (in French). 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b c "Afribone.com :: Diabali, après l'attaque du Commandant félon Haroune Ag Saïd". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ a b c "Nord du Mali: le bras droit du chef islamiste Iyad Ag Ghaly tué par l'armée française". Maliactu. April 29, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2024.