The musician, who was a lyricist and member of the band Tinariwen, a group that performed at the Womad festival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, now leads one of Al Qaeda's most dangerous factions. In 2009, the Canarian festival highlighted African rhythms with this Tuareg blues group, a Grammy winner linked to prominent rock figures.
At that time, Mali was already facing growing instability, with tensions in the north of the country where the demands of Tuareg separatist groups coincided with the emergence of jihadist organizations. This scenario of institutional fragility and armed conflict has escalated, culminating in a new wave of violence last week, with simultaneous attacks in several Malian cities by jihadist groups and the Azawad Liberation Front.
Canarian media announcing Tinariwen's performance in 2009 highlighted that, in addition to bringing music from the neighboring continent, the group would convey messages of "hope and resistance" to its people.
However, the former lyricist's writings evolved towards more extremist ideas. He has now consolidated his position as leader of one of the world's deadliest Al Qaeda franchises, aiming to expand territorial control in northern and central Mali, weaken the state, and impose a model based on his interpretation of Islamic law.
Despite his musical past, the advance of the jihadist groups he leads has resulted in a total ban on music in areas under their control. This situation is particularly severe in a country considered a musical reference in Africa, with a rich tradition and numerous internationally renowned artists.
Originally from the Ifoghas tribe and the Kidal region in northern Mali, the jihadist leader began to distance himself from music in the late 1990s due to a religious shift. The city of Kidal was one of the focal points of last week's attacks, leading Tuareg separatists to take control of the city and the withdrawal of Russian military forces, deployed through the Africa Corps.
