Sources close to the negotiations engaged to free the two Austrian hostages in northern Mali said three Tuareg appointed to be as mediators between the Austrian Government and Abdelhamid Abu Zaid group have been assassinated up to now.The military commander of Alliance for Change Movement, Hassan Fagaga told El Khabar negotiations engaged with kidnappers have started only few days ago, pointing they have been lead by 6 mediators familiar with northern Mali region, as required by Al-Qaeda chief of Sahara region, Abu Zaid. Some of the mediators taking part in the negotiations are originated from the Tuareg Alliance for Change rebel Movement being integrated in the Malian Army in accordance with Algiers Agreement sealed between Mali and Tuareg rebels last year. “Three Tuareg mediators of the six have been assassinated until now,” Fagaga further said.
El Khabar has asked Hassan Fagaga about student Mohamed Moussa who has been assassinated despite not being a mediator, commander Fagaga said: “the killers have been told at first that mediator Baraka Cheikh was to be accompanied by Colonel Mohamed Oueld Midou.” He added: “while they saw Mohamed Moussa with Baraka Cheikh they thought he was Colonel Midou while decided killing them both.” However, sources from Tuareg have accused Intelligence services depending on the Malian Army of plotting the assassination.