Mahamad Ould Erkehile, also known as Abu Rakia, a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS), and his associate, Abu Hash, have reportedly been arrested by the Malian Armed Forces. The operation also neutralized several fighters and resulted in the seizure of materials used to craft improvised explosive devices, according to reports. Mali’s army accused Hash, described as a high-ranking figure in the Islamic State-linked organization, of orchestrating severe atrocities against civilians in the Menaka and Gao regions and coordinating attacks on Mali’s military. The army also claimed that Hash was a frequent collaborator of neutralized terrorist leaders Abu Huzeifa and Osama Madalo. Mali has faced escalating violence since 2012, with attacks by al-Qaeda and IS-affiliated groups destabilizing the central and northern regions. The situation worsened after a military junta took power in 2020, mirroring coups in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, also grappling with Islamist insurgencies.
Source: DW
