Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha, nom de guerre Yoro Ould Daha, was a Malian Arab warlord who fought in Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA) and the Arab Movement of Azawad's pro-government faction.
Yoro Ould Daha | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha |
| Born | January 1, 1978 Djebok, Mali |
| Died | February 9, 2020 Tamkoutat, Mali |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Allegiance |  MOJWA (2012-2014) MAA-Loyalist (2014-2020)Platform (2014-2020) |
| Rank | Military commander (Platform) |
| Battles/wars | Mali War |
Biography edit
Daha was born on January 1, 1978, to a Lemhar Arab family in Djebok, Mali.[1][2][3] He was a child when the Tuareg rebellion of the 1990s broke out, but received his first military training during the conflict.[4] Daha claimed to have fought in the 1990s rebellion in clashes between Arabs and Kuntas, and then later between Arabs and Ganda Koy.[4] Before the Mali War broke out in 2012, Daha joined the ranks of MOJWA, becoming a senior officer in the Islamic police of Gao.[5][6] He joined Katiba Osama Bin Laden, led by Ahmed al-Tilemsi.[7] In 2014, Daha claimed to have never fought against the Malian Army.[7] His rationale for joining MOJWA, according to a 2014 interview, was that MOJWA consisted of drug traffickers and those looking for money, and protected them from the MNLA.[7]
Daha served as the leader of the mafia wing of MOJWA, engaging in drug trafficking.[8] He stated in 2014 that he was working with drug traffickers before joining MOJWA.[7] When French forces intervened in Mali through Operation Serval, Daha fled to Algeria, with his house in Gao being looted by residents.[7] Daha joined the Arab Movement of Azawad and Platform in April 2014, becoming one of the military commanders of the movement.[7] That July, he clashed with MNLA, HCUA, and rebel MAA fighters at a military base in Tarkint.[2] He then fought in the Battle of Tabankort in 2014, becoming the military commander of Platform.[9]
Daha was arrested by the French Army on the night between July 28–29, 2014, on suspicion of being involved in a July 14 attack that killed a French soldier. He was questioned for four to five days, and then handed to Malian authorities in Bamako. Daha was released by Mali on August 7.[9][10][11] In an August 2014 interview, Daha reaffirmed his pro-Malian and pro-French positions, but claimed that he believed France was sympathetic to the MNLA.[7]
Daha was arrested in Niamey by Nigerien authorities on December 3, 2015, but was released shortly afterward.[12] The United Nations adopted sanctions against Daha on July 9, 2019, for violating the Algiers Accords. He was banned from traveling outside of Mali in response.[13][3] Daha and his bodyguard were assassinated by unknown men traveling on motorcycles at a camp in Tamkoutat, Gao Region, on February 9, 2020.[3]
Further reading edit
References edit
- ^ H, A (August 18, 2014). "Mokhtar Belmokhtar, nouvel Emir de l'EIIL au Sahel ?". Maliactu. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ a b "Mali: un cadre du Mujao arrêté par l'armée française dans le Nord". RFI (in French). 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b c "Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha". OpenSanctions.org. 1978-01-01. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b "Yoro Ould Daha: "L'Armée française m'a proposé de rejoindre le MNLA"". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Mali : un ancien responsable du Mujao arrêté par les militaires français". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha | Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mali – Yero Ould Daha : " Le Mujao nous protégeait du MNLA " - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Daniel, Serge (2014). Les mafias du Mali: trafics et terorisme au Sahel. p. 79. ISBN 978-2-84446271-8.
- ^ a b "Mali: Yoro Ould Daha, leader militaire pro-gouvernemental, a été tué". RFI (in French). 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Mali: le flou autour de Yoro Ould Daha, cadre du Mujao arrêté". RFI (in French). 2014-08-05. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Mali: l'ancien membre du Mujao Yoro Ould Daha relâché". RFI (in French). 2014-08-09. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Arrêté puis relâché au Niger : le général Mehry Sidahmar dit Yoro de la Plateforme remercie les autorités nigériennes pour leur bon sens". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Nouvelles sanctions de l'ONU contre des Maliens accusés de s'opposer à la paix". RFI (in French). 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2024-02-15.