Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

Main article: Al-Qaeda

2020

The death of the head of the group Abdelmalek Drukdel

The leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist group in the countries of the Islamic Maghreb (AKIM, banned in the Russian Federation) Abdelmalek Drukdel was killed in June 2020 in Mali.

For two decades, he constantly threatened this country and was personally responsible for dozens of terrorist attacks. However, it is possible that the jihadist, who began his journey with the war in Afghanistan against the USSR, was surrendered by his own - recently he advocated negotiations with the authorities.

Africa Activity Map

Active military groups in Africa. January 2020

2016: The number of the group is more than 1 thousand people

It operates and has cells in Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger, Kot-d Coast. The number of the group is more than 1 thousand people. The leader of the group is Algerian Abdelmalek Drukdel. He calls his goal the overthrow of the Algerian government, as well as the authorities of nearby countries and the establishment of an Islamist state in them. The group considers France to be a "distant enemy."

In January 2016, an attack on two hotels and a restaurant in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), 28 dead. In March 2016 - attack on coastal hotels in Gran Basam (Kot-d), 19 dead.

2015: Mali terror attack, 19 dead, including 6 Russians

Since 2015, AKIM has again intensified terrorist activities. In November 2015, AKIM staged a terrorist attack in Bamako (Mali), killing 19 people, including six Russians.

2013

Revenue estimate of $50-200 million over 10 years

The main source of income is ransom for the abducted hostages. The organization's profit in 2003-2013 is estimated at $50-200 million.

France simultaneously knocks out AKIM militants from Mali

In January 2013, France sent its armed forces (4 thousand military) to Mali and drove the militants out of the country, forcing them to temporarily stop attacks.

2012: Participation in the capture of northern Mali

In 2012, AQIM, among other Islamist groups, organized an uprising in Mali and captured the northern part of the country.

2007: Renamed AKIM

Since January 2007, it has been called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

2006: Alliance with Al-Qaeda

In September 2006, the group entered into an alliance with al-Qaeda (the organization is banned in the Russian Federation).

2004: Abdelmalek Drukdel leads group after Nabil Sahraoui's death

In 2004, Abdelmalek Drukdel led the Salafi Preaching and Jihad Group (GSPC): he replaced Nabil Sahraoui, who was killed in a clash with the Algerian military.

Abdelmalek Drukdel was born in 1970 in a suburb of Algeria. After graduating from university, where he trained as an engineer, he joined the war in Afghanistan on the side of the Taliban (the Taliban is banned in the Russian Federation): for a long time he fought against the USSR and gained fame as an expert on explosives. According to eyewitnesses, he was tough and purposeful.

It is believed that Drukdel acted in close conjunction with another odious jihadist-smuggler Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who was also born in Algeria, went through the war in Afghanistan and was injured while mishandling explosives. However, there is quite a lot of evidence of competition between them: Belmokhtar claimed leadership after the death of Sahraui, and it was the undercover struggle that explained his special status in al-Qaeda in the countries of the Islamic Maghreb, where he commanded a separate brigade.

1997: Establishment of the "Salafi Preaching and Fighting Group" to fight the Algerian government

The Islamist armed group al-Qaeda in the countries of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM; banned in the Russian Federation) was created in Algeria in 1997 under the name "Salafi Preaching and Fighting Group" to combat the Algerian secular government during the 1991-2002 civil war.