10 Facts About Ansar Dine

1.

Ansar Dine is opposed to Sufi shrines, and it has destroyed a number of such shrines.

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2.

Ansar Dine was active from March 2012 until March 2017, when it merged with other militant Islamist groups to form Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.

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3.

Ansar Dine has its main base among the Ifora tribe from the southern part of the Tuaregs' homeland.

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4.

In Mopti, the Ansar Dine fighters obtained access to heavy construction equipment from fleeing construction workers and used it to build fighting positions.

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5.

Ansar Dine has reportedly put together at least one convoy of 100 vehicles carrying soldiers equipped with small arms.

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6.

The Ansar Dine arsenal includes anti aircraft weapons which can be mounted on pickup trucks.

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7.

Witnesses have said that Ansar Dine fighters wear long beards and fly black flags with the shahada emblazoned in white.

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8.

The Agence France-Presse reported that Ansar Dine claimed to occupy the towns of Tinzaouaten, Tessalit, and Aguelhok, all close to the Algerian border, and that they had captured at least 110 civilian and military prisoners.

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9.

The following day, Ansar Dine announced that it was in control of all the cities of northern Mali.

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10.

Ansar Dine was in peace talks with Mali's neighbours Burkina Faso and Algeria.

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