Tinzaouaten

(Redirected from Tinzawatene)

Tinzaouaten (var. Tinzawatene and Tin-Zaouatene; Arabic: تين ظواتين) is a Saharan rural commune in the far northeast of Mali on the Algerian border.

Tinzaouaten
تين ظواتين
ⵜⵉⵏⵣⴰⵡⴰⵜⴰⵏ
Commune and village
Tinzaouaten is located in Mali
Tinzaouaten
Tinzaouaten
Location in Mali
Coordinates: 19°56′55″N 2°58′04″E / 19.94861°N 2.96778°E / 19.94861; 2.96778
Country Mali
RegionKidal Region
CercleAbeïbara Cercle
ControlCSP-DPA
Area
 • Total8,750 km2 (3,380 sq mi)
Elevation
618 m (2,028 ft)
Population
 (2009 census)[2]
 • Total2,300
 • Density0.26/km2 (0.68/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)

Geography

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The commune is in the Abeïbara Cercle of the Kidal Region. It included a stop on a trans-Saharan trade route and a military post on the frontier under the French colonial regime. In 2009 the 8,000 square kilometer commune had a population of 2,300, most of whom are nomadic Tuareg.[1] The Algerian settlement of Tinzaouten is on the Algerian side of the border.[3]

Recent history

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In 2019, Tinzaouaten was the headquarters of the Al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.[4]

On July 25, 2024, Tuareg rebels of CSP-DPA ambushed a convoy of FAMA and Russian Wagner mercenaries in Tinzaouaten, beginning a 2-day battle. Over the course of the battle a sandstorm formed, forcing both sides to a temporary pause in fighting until July 26.[5] The battle ended on July 27 resulting in the loss of several FAMA armored vehicles, a FAMA helicopter and the claimed deaths of 10 FAMA soldiers, up to 25-80+ Wagner Group mercenaries and 20 CSP-DPA soldiers.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Plan de Sécurité Alimentaire Commune Rurale Tinzawatene 2007-2011 (PDF) (in French), Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire, République du Mali, USAID-Mali, 2007, archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-09-18, retrieved 2012-05-02.
  2. ^ Resultats Provisoires RGPH 2009 (Région de Kidal) (PDF) (in French), République de Mali: Institut National de la Statistique, archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-07-27, retrieved 2012-05-02.
  3. ^ fr:Tinzaouten
  4. ^ Pellerin, Mathieu (November 2019). "Armed violence in the Sahara" (PDF). IFRI. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  5. ^ Bridger, Bianca (2024-07-25). "Tuareg rebels ambush Malian and Russian forces near the Algerian border". Atlas News. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  6. ^ "Mali rebels say they killed and injured dozens of soldiers, Wagner mercenaries in fighting". Reuters. Bamako. 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
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