‘Azawad’ Denies Tebboune’s Claims and Embarrasses the Army in the Release of a Spanish Hostage

The Azawad Liberation Front, which brings together movements representing the Tuareg separatists in northern Mali, asserted that its efforts successfully freed the Spanish hostage Navarro Gilbert. This contradicts Algeria’s claim of being behind the achievement, as stated by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, creating an embarrassment for Algerian diplomacy, which appears to have attributed to itself efforts that were not its own.

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This is not the first time Algeria fabricates narratives unrelated to reality, as part of its attempts to present itself as a key mediator in the region, despite having failed to resolve all the files it has handled, including the conflict between the Malian army and the rebels.

This statement comes as Algerian diplomacy faces criticism for its missteps and recurring errors, which have further isolated the country in its neighborhood and in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region.

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The Azawad Liberation Front revealed that a precise and well-coordinated operation conducted by its units led to the hostage’s release, coinciding with negotiations managed by mediators with social influence in the region.

The Spanish tourist was kidnapped in mid-October in southern Algeria by elements affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Sahara.

The Front stated in a communiqué that “the hostage was transferred to the Azawad region by his captors, who are part of a transnational criminal network well-known for its activities in the Sahel region.”

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Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune posted on the platform “X” on Tuesday, thanking Algeria’s security forces and the Ministry of Defense for their “discretion and effectiveness” during the operation to free the Spanish hostage.

Relations between Algeria and Spain remain tense, particularly after Spain’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, a historic decision that strengthened ties between Rabat and Madrid, launching a strategic partnership and high-level coordination on shared issues.

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Algeria is seen as siding with the Tuareg separatists in Mali, especially since Algerian media close to the government have recently focused on news about the rebels, particularly after the announcement of the unification of Azawad movements into a single front aimed at strengthening their ranks against the Malian army, which has been launching offensives against rebel groups in the north of the country near Algeria’s borders for months.

The diplomatic crisis between Mali and Algeria appears to have reached a point of no return. Bamako views the Algerian authorities as still reeling from the annulment of the fragile 2015 peace agreement, which produced no tangible results. Meanwhile, the Malian ruling council accused Algeria of interfering in its affairs after Algeria hosted a delegation of Tuareg separatists last year without involving the Malian government.

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