Iyad ag ghali biography of albert king

He has led Tuareg uprisings against the Malian government, acted as go-between in securing the release of hostages kidnapped by al-Qaeda, and spent time as a Malian diplomat in Saudi Arabia. A little-known figure who rarely speaks to the press, Mr Ghaly's motivation for founding Ansar Dine remains the subject of some debate. He comes from the Ifoghas tribe and the Kidal region of north-eastern Mali.

Believed to be now in his mid-fifties, he first came to public attention in the early s as the leader of a Tuareg revolt seeking independence or greater autonomy for the northern region of Mali that they call Azawad. Malian state radio referred to him in as the secretary-general of the Popular Movement of Azawad and head of the delegation negotiating an end to the rebellion with the government.

In Radio France International called him the "undisputed leader" of the Tuareg rebels. After another, short-lived revolt in , Mr Ghaly became head of a movement called the 23 May Democratic Alliance for Change.

Iyad ag ghali biography of albert king: The crisis of the African state:

The following year he was reported to be a member of the Malian High Council of Territorial Collectivities. He negotiated further hostage releases in , and A US diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks referred to Mr Ghaly as turning up "like the proverbial bad penny" whenever there was the prospect of "a cash transaction" between the Tuareg and a foreign government.

Between late and early he held a post at the Malian consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, although at times during this period he was reported as being in Mali and elsewhere negotiating hostage releases.