In a powerful first appearance since the outbreak of the 2023 conflict between Mali and Azawad, Bilal Ag Acherif, leader of the Strategic Permanent Forum for the Defense of the People of Azawad (SPF-DPA), delivered a message of defiance and unity to the nation.
Bilal Ag Acherif, who has served as the Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), leads a movement that seeks independence for Azawad and is grounded in secular values. The majority of Azawad’s forces are composed of Tuareg, an Amazigh tribe native to Azawad in northern Mali.
Ag Acherif began his speech by greeting all Azawadians and highlighting the existential threat posed by their enemies, whose goal, he stated, is to erase the people who embody the destiny of Azawad. With a resolute and courageous tone, he paid tribute to the women of Azawad, recognizing their vital role in the nation’s history and praising their unwavering determination to continue the struggle during difficult times.
He did not hold back in his criticism of the Malian leadership, calling them cowardly for allowing their military to be controlled by a terrorist organization. Ag Acherif also pointed out the irony of Russian mercenary soldiers, operating in Mali, being paid more than the country’s own military officers.
He described the destruction of infrastructure, and the looting carried out by the Wagner Group.
Amazigh World News (AWN) received a video in which Wagner mercenaries interrogated a Tuareg woman about the whereabouts of fighters. When she said she had not seen any, they threatened to strip her in front of the entire village. The video showed them forcing her to undress. Other videos have surfaced showing Russian mercenaries looting local markets in villages.
Ag Acherif emphasized that the world is watching, and that history is on the side of Azawad, as its people remain steadfast on their land with time and determination as their allies.
In his address, given in the Tamashek language, the SPF-DPA leader also sharply criticized the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, and the nations involved in previous peace agreements for their silence while his people suffer. He refuted claims that Azawad’s struggle is a territorial grab, clarifying that their fight is solely for the northern region of Mali—where Amazigh, Fulani, Songhai, and other communities live—and not for lands beyond those borders.
Moreover, Ag Acherif urged Azawad soldiers to maintain discipline and to respect human rights, reminding them never to harm civilians and to treat anyone who surrenders as a prisoner of war. He praised the soldiers for their exemplary conduct and their commitment to upholding human rights, even amid conflict.
He concluded his speech by expressing condolences to the families of the Azawad soldiers who had fallen in the Battle of Tinzawaten, proudly noting that the Azawad forces had defeated Wagner mercenaries in that battle more decisively than in any other conflict, whether in Africa or elsewhere. Ag Acherif reassured his people that while the fight must continue, history is on their side, and victory is near.
He ended his address with a final greeting, leaving the nation with a renewed sense of purpose and hope.
Reports received by AWN indicate a dire humanitarian situation in Azawad, with refugees fleeing to the Algerian border, and little to no humanitarian aid on the ground.
