ICC issued arrest warrant for militant leader Iyad over Mali war crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for militant leader Iyad Ag Ghaly over Mali war crimes. Iyad Ag Ghaly is also known as “Abou Fadl.”

The arrest warrant for Iyad came after his alleged involvement in atrocities committed in the Malian city of Timbuktu between 2012 and 2013.

Iyad Ag Ghaly is currently the leader of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group, Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). JNIM refers to the group for support of Islam and Muslims. It operates in several countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Iyad-led JNIM launched numerous attacks on national forces and crimes against civilian populations. Militant leader Iyad led the Ansar Dine militant group for more than ten years ago.

Militant organizations JNIM and Ansar Dine have committed several crimes under the leadership of Iyad. However, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for a militant leader in connection with war crimes against humanity, which he committed in Timbuktu. He was leading Andar Dine at that time.

His crimes include attacks on structures designated as historical and religious landmarks and massive murders of innocent civilians. Other crimes also include the rape and sexual enslavement of several Malian women.

#ICC unseals arrest warrant against Iyad Ag Ghaly for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in northern #Mali. Learn more ⤵️ https://t.co/ixXKFgJFWw
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) June 21, 2024

Click here to read the updates on the ICC prosecutor’s seeking arrest warrants of Benjamin Netanyahu & Hamas leaders

It is significant to note that ICC judges issued an arrest warrant for Iyad in the middle of 2017, but due to potential risks to witnesses and victims, they kept it secret for the last seven years. However, now they have made it public.

ICC stated it made an arrest warrant against Iyad public for war crimes committed in northern Mali between January 2012 and January 2013 at the request of the prosecutor.

According to ICC, Ansar Dine took control of Timbuktu in 2012. It used pickaxes to break into 14 well-known Muslim saints’ mausoleums. Moreover, Iyad-led Ansar Dine imposed a reign of terror on the local people of Timbuktu for which he must held accountable.