It released a video that referenced its
ideological affinity for such figures as al-Qaeda founder Osama bin
Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar but placed greater emphasis on
historical figures of West African origin, claiming to be the
“ideological descendants” of Usman Dan Fodio, Cheikhou Amadou, and el
Hadj Umar Tall.Analysts believe MOJAO was strengthened with the influx of weapons from Libya after the country’s civil war.
It went on to carry out some deadly
attacks and gained control of Konna, town in northern Mali. This
triggered French intervention in the war, and with the aid of France,
the Malian government forces launched a counterattack and retook the
town.
On December 5, 2012, the United Nations
Security Council, sanctioned MOJAO, listing it as an associate of AQIM
in pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 12 of resolution 1989 (2011), for
participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or
perpetrating of acts or activities in conjunction with, under the name
of, on behalf of, or in support of that entity.
UN Security Council described MOJAO as a
splinter group of the AQIM, which formally announced its existence
following the abduction of three humanitarian workers from a Saharan
refugee camp in Tindouf on October 23, 2011.
According to the UN, “MOJAO co-exists
and works together with the organisation of al-Qaeda in the Islamic
Maghreb from which its operational capabilities derive. MOJAO operates
in the same geographical area in the Sahel and shares objectives of the
Organisation of al-Qeada in the Islamic Maghreb. It grew considerably in
its first 12 months of operation.”
MOJAO has claimed responsibility for
some operations including the abduction of three humanitarian workers
from a Saharan refugee camp in the region of Tindouf, Algeria, on
October 23, 2011; the abduction of seven Algerian diplomats, including
the Consul, in Gao, Mali, on April 5, 2012; the attack on the
Gendarmerie Nationale base in Tamanrasset, Algeria, on March 23, 2012;
and the attack on the Gendarmerie Nationale base in Ouargla, Algeria, on
June 29, 2012.
Its most recent suicide bomb attack, at a
military base and a French uranium mining complex in Niger Republic,
killed at least 20 people.
The attack was a fulfilment of its vow
to attack countries that were involved in the four-month-old French-led
military intervention which ousted them from towns in northern Mali.
UN Security Council also noted, that
MOJAO also took advantage of the uprising of rebel movements in northern
Mali in early 2012, to seize the towns of Gao and Bourem and took
supplies of weapons from Malian arsenal.
“It is thus heavily armed with, for
example, heavy machine guns (14.5 and 23 mm), anti-tank grenade
launchers (RPG-7), mortars (60 and 82 mm), conventional and home-made
explosives, night-vision binoculars and means of communication (mobile
and satellite telephones, and VHF radios),” it said.
