Mali opens terror probe into jihadists, ethnic separatists amid deteriorating security

Those being investigated include Iyag Ag Ghaly, a Tuareg militant and leader of Al-Qaeda-linked coalition Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), and radical Fulani preacher Amadou Koufa, who belongs to the same group, according to instructions issued by the Bamako Court of Appeal’s public prosecutor on Tuesday and shared with AFP.

Also on the list are six Tuareg leaders belonging to an alliance of armed groups that recently relaunched a rebellion against the state, despite signinga 2015 peace deal in Algiers.

The public prosecutor said the investigation was launched “not only against the terrorist leaders but also other members who were signatories to the 2015 peace agreement” and “have tipped over into terrorism”.

It cites “extremely serious” acts that “are likely to constitute the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, acts of terrorism, money laundering and financing of terrorism, illegal possession of weapons of war and munitions, and complicity in these same acts”.

Read more: France 24