Ould Meydou
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Mohamed Abderrahmane Ould Meydou, also known as Ould Meydou, is a Malian general who participated in the Tuareg rebellion of 2007 to 2009 and the Mali War. Meydou has also served as the governor of Taoudénit Region since 2017.
MaliOuld Meydou | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mohamed Abderrahmane Ould Meydou |
| Allegiance | Mali |
| Rank | Division general |
| Conflicts | Tuareg rebellion (2007-2009) |
| Other work | Governor of Taoudénit Region (2017-present) Commissioner of the Malian Truth and Reconciliation Committee (2013-2017) |
Biography
Meydou was born in Gao, Mali, and derives from the Lemhar Arab community from the Tilemsi desert.[1] He joined the Joint Military School in Koulikoro in 1996.[2] Between 1997 and 1998, he served as the commander of the 3rd military region that included Kati.[2] As a colonel during the Tuareg rebellion of 2007 to 2009, he fought in the battle of Nampala.[3] Between 2008 and 2009, he served as the head of a militia consisting of Arabs and Tuaregs that fought against Ibrahim Ag Bahanga.[4]
When the Tuareg rebellion broke out in 2012, Meydou was a colonel-major. He asked for the release of drug trafficker Mohamed Ould Awainat to help recruit fighters from Arab communities.[1] He attempted to break the siege of the Aguelhok garrison, but fell into an ambush near In Emsal and was forced to retreat.[5] He also attempted to help Malian forces at Tessalit, but failed.[6]
From 2013 to 2017, Meydou served as a commissioner at the Malian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.[7][3] On September 18, 2013, he was promoted to brigadier general by Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.[8] He escaped an assassination attempt from al-Mourabitoun in Bamako on January 26, 2015, but survived albeit injured.[9][10] On June 7, 2017, Meydou was appointed to governor of the Taoudénit Region with a residence in Timbuktu.[11][12] He was appointed major-general on September 20, 2018.[13]
Protests erupted against Meydou's rule of Taoudenit in 2021, but were met with counter-protests in favor of his rule.[14] Malian civil society groups denounced Meydou in the wake of the protests, stating that he gave jobs to family members and did not represent the civilian population.[15] During the offensive by the Coordination of Azawad Movements against the Malian government in September 2023, Meydou called for dialogue as the only way forward between Mali and the CMA.[16]