Ould Meydou

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Ould Meydou
Birth nameMohamed Abderrahmane Ould Meydou
BornGao, Mali
Allegiance Mali
RankDivision general
Battles/warsTuareg rebellion (2007-2009)

Mali War

Other workGovernor of Taoudénit Region (2017-present)
Commissioner of the Malian Truth and Reconciliation Committee (2013-2017)

Mohamed Abderrahmane Ould Meydou, also known as Ould Meydou, is a Malian general who participated in the Tuareg rebellion of 2007 to 2009 and the Mali War. Meydou has also served as the governor of Taoudénit Region since 2017.

Biography[edit]

Meydou was born in Gao, Mali, and derives from the Lemhar Arab community from the Tilemsi desert.[1] He joined the Joint Military School in Koulikoro in 1996.[2] Between 1997 and 1998, he served as the commander of the 3rd military region that included Kati.[2] As a colonel during the Tuareg rebellion of 2007 to 2009, he fought in the battle of Nampala.[3] Between 2008 and 2009, he served as the head of a militia consisting of Arabs and Tuaregs that fought against Ibrahim Ag Bahanga.[4]

When the Tuareg rebellion broke out in 2012, Meydou was a colonel-major. He asked for the release of drug trafficker Mohamed Ould Awainat to help recruit fighters from Arab communities.[1] He attempted to break the siege of the Aguelhok garrison, but fell into an ambush near In Emsal and was forced to retreat.[5] He also attempted to help Malian forces at Tessalit, but failed.[6]

From 2013 to 2017, Meydou served as a commissioner at the Malian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.[7][3] On September 18, 2013, he was promoted to brigadier general by Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.[8] He escaped an assassination attempt from al-Mourabitoun in Bamako on January 26, 2015, but survived albeit injured.[9][10] On June 7, 2017, Meydou was appointed to governor of the Taoudénit Region with a residence in Timbuktu.[11][12] He was appointed major-general on September 20, 2018.[13]

Protests erupted against Meydou's rule of Taoudenit in 2021, but were met with counter-protests in favor of his rule.[14] Malian civil society groups denounced Meydou in the wake of the protests, stating that he gave jobs to family members and did not represent the civilian population.[15] During the offensive by the Coordination of Azawad Movements against the Malian government in September 2023, Meydou called for dialogue as the only way forward between Mali and the CMA.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Mali: Eviter l'escalade" (PDF). International Crisis Group. July 18, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Taoudénit : le gouverneur prête serment". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  3. ^ a b Is the Rebellion Over? Mali Beats Back Bahanga and Prepares for Peace in Kidal (Report). Mali Bamako. 2009-02-12.
  4. ^ "Des rebelles touareg pénètrent en Algérie". El Watan. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  5. ^ "Guerre au Mali : retour sur le drame d'Aguelhok - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  6. ^ "Mali: violents combats dans la région de Tessalit". RFI (in French). 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  7. ^ "La liste complète des commissaires de la commission dialogue et réconciliation". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  8. ^ Diarra, Abdoulaye (September 20, 2013). "BRÈVESArmée malienne : Sada Samaké, El Hadj Gamou, Ould Meydou promus généraux" [Malian Army: Sada Samake, El Hadj Ag Gamou, Ould Meydou promoted to generals]. Maliactu. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "Un général malien échappe à une tentative de meurtre à Bamako". RFI (in French). 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  10. ^ "Attentat à Bamako: un groupe islamiste revendique l'attaque". L'Express (in French). 2015-03-07. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  11. ^ "Taoudenit : le général Ould Meydou nommé nouveau gouverneur de région". kibaru.ml (in French). 2017. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  12. ^ "Taoudenit : Le général Ould Meydou installé dans ses fonctions de gouverneur de région". kibaru.ml (in French). 2017. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  13. ^ "COMMUNIQUE DU CONSEIL DES MINISTRES EXTRAORDINAIRE DU JEUDI, 20 SEPTEMBRE 2018 CME N°2018-01/SGG". kibaru.ml (in French). 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  14. ^ 22 Septembre (2021-03-04). "Marche et contremarche à Taoudénit : Qui veut salir le Général Ould Meydou ?". maliweb.net (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  15. ^ Makadji, Mamadou (March 13, 2021). "Mali : Général Ould Meydou : Le mouton noir de Taoudénit" [Mali: General Ould Meydou: the black sheep of Taoudenni]. Maliactu. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  16. ^ Makadji, Mamadou (October 1, 2023). "Mali : le gouverneur de Taoudéni et la société civile appellent au dialogue avec les groupes armés" [Mali: the governor of Taoudenni and the civil societies support dialogue with armed groups]. Maliactu. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
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