Justice Served: ICC Finds Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mahmoud Guilty of War Crimes in Mali

The International Criminal Court has found Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Mali. He was responsible for mistreating prisoners as the de facto leader of the Islamic police in Timbuktu.

Al Hassan could face life imprisonment in the upcoming sentencing. He played a significant role in Ansar Dine, an Islamic extremist group connected to al-Qaida, which held authority in northern Mali at that time.

Women and girls bore the brunt of Ansar Dine’s oppressive rule, enduring physical punishment and incarceration. In 2013, a military operation led by France ousted Al Hassan and others from power.

Mali, along with its neighboring countries Burkina Faso and Niger, has grappled with a decade-long insurgency waged by armed groups, some of which have ties to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

After military coups in all three nations, the ruling juntas have expelled French forces and sought security assistance from Russia’s mercenary units. Col. Assimi Goita, who assumed leadership in Mali following a second coup in 2021, pledged to restore the country to democracy in early 2024.