Ibrahim Ag Inawalen |
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| Born | Abeibara, Kidal Region, Mali |
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| Died | May 18, 2015
Northeast Kidal region, Mali |
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| Cause of death | French airstrike |
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| Allegiance |  Mali (until 2006)
 Ansar Dine (2012-2015) |
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| Rank | Colonel (Malian Army, until 2006)
Commander of Aguelhok (Ansar Dine, 2013-2014)
Emir (Ansar Dine, 2014-2015) |
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| Battles / wars | Mali War
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Ibrahim Ag Inawalen, nom de guerre Bana, was a Malian soldier and jihadist in Ansar Dine.
Biography
Ag Inawalen was born in Abeïbara, Kidal Region, Mali.[1] He was a colonel in the Malian army until 2006, when he deserted.[2][1]
When the Mali War began in 2012, Ag Inawalen joined Ansar Dine and became commander of the group in Aguelhok.[3] In January of 2012, he took part in the Battle of Aguelhok and may have been responsible for the massacre of the Malian garrison.[2] Ag Inawalen was also responsible for the stoning of a couple in the city who had conceived children outside of marriage.[1]
In 2013, Ag Inawalen took part in the Battle of Tigharghar against French and Chadian forces.[4] He then participated in negotiations with Mohamed Akotey in the release of four hostages from Arlit, and afterward Serge Lazarevic.[1][5] Following the death of other jihadist leaders, Ag Inawalen became the second-in-command of Ansar Dine around 2014 to 2015.[1]
Ag Inawalen was killed in a French airstrike the night between May 17 and 18, 2015. That night, he met with Abdelkrim al-Targui, a leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, in an area northeast of Kidal. The two jihadists and their two bodyguards were killed in the operation.[6][7]
References
