The General Command of the Al-Qaeda affiliates have released statement eulogizing Abdelmalek Droukdel, who was the emir of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The Al-Qaeda emir in north Africa was killed on June 10 in a joint operation by France and partner forces in Mali and his death was announced by France Defense Minister Florence Parly.
The chief leader of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb was killed alongside his inner circle members in northern Mali according to France Defense Minister. AQIM later acknowledged the death of its leader calling on the unity of its members in north Africa region.
Now, Al-Qaeda affiliates releasing statement eulogizing the AQIM emir (leader) have a significance. The Al-Qaeda affiliates firstly wants to show solidarity with one of their affiliates. By calling on AQIM not to relent and continue on attacks on ‘crusaders’, the affiliates approve on AQIM’s cause of fighting western forces and interest from across the globe.
The statement published on pro-Al-Qaeda media (websites and other online platforms) is published in poetic Arabic language. The message is aimed at condoling with members of AQIM whom their leader was killed in France military operations, a coded message aimed at instilling sympathy to the adherents not to deviate from their cause but to keep on fighting.
The statement released praises the leadership of Abdelmalek Droukdel during tenure at the helm of AQIM. The praises are also aimed at approving of jihadist heinous acts and a call to the members to continue fighting so as to attain ‘martyrdom’.
Apart from calling for unity and continued attacks on western interests, the statement also, is a call for potential members (recruits) to heed the call and join the ‘jihad’ cause by exhibiting and justifying their acts are guided by ‘Allah’ and after undertaking the call there is a reward; martyrdom.
By decorating the leadership, the slain AQIM leader, the intention is instilling morale to the foot soldiers, to soldier on and emulate their slain general. This is important as militant fighters after their leader is killed may opt out or loose morale in the battlefield and thus the statement is a reminder of martyrdom attainment at the end of it all.
The Al-Qaeda affiliates statement should be a wake-up call to counter-terrorism actors in north Africa and broader Sahel region that they should brace for more attacks in the coming days. This will be so in line with the condolence statement from the Al-Qaeda affiliates on seeking martyrdom and also as a retaliatory for their slain general. So, in the coming days, more attacks against France troops and establishment in north Africa expected. Increased militant’s activity expected after this call, additionally not to mention multiple recruits heeding on the call into joining AQIM’s camps.
The statement concludes by stressing on the call, directing organized operations in the Maghreb in which it stated the vision and ideologies of Al-Qaeda pushing on the path of jihad. The statement also cites on selective Quranic verses in what is seen a way of justifying their terror activities.
The daring operations dealt a severe blow to the Al-Qaeda operations in the Maghreb. Aged in his late 40s, Droukdel fought against Soviet troops in Afghanistan, and was thought to be inspired by the former leader of A-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Under the reign of Droukdel, AQIM carried out numerous deadly attacks, including a 2016 assault on a hotel in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou that left 30 dead and 150 injured.
As the emir of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Droukdel was in charge of operations of all Al-Qaeda’s affiliates in north Africa. He also commanded A-Qaeda’s Sahel affiliate, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Other notable Al-Qaeda affiliates include; the Al-Shabaab operating in East Africa and with home-base in Somalia. The other include the Al-Qaeda in Arabian Penisula (AQIM) operating in Yemen and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent usually abbreviated as AQIS, an Islamist militant organization which aims to fight the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh in order to establish an Islamic state.
