| Country: | Mali |
| Details of Formation: | The group formed in April 1994 in self-defence against increasing attacks of armed Tuareg groups, consisting primarily of members of the Songhay ethnic group. It was led by a former army officer and included security forces as members. |
| Details of Termination: | The date of termination is coded as the date of the appointment of the democratic government after the democratic elections after the conflict in 2012/2013. There is no information about any activity of the militia after the elections. |
| Purpose: | The militia targeted Islamist insurgents which were occupying the north of Mali. The government aligned with them to support the military’s operations against the insurgents in Northern Mali. |
| Organisation: | The army claimed that it would take the militia under its control, but there is no evidence of actual military support. |
| Weapons and Training: | One source reports a shortage of weapons and equipment which is why the militia also used wooden sticks during training sessions. |
| Size: | The militia had about 800 to 2,000 members. |
| Reason for Membership: | In 1994, members were mostly members of the Songhay ethnic group who aimed to protect their villages against armed Tuareg rebels. Later members were deeply committed to fighting the Islamist rebels. They were attracted by the promise of possible recruitment by the regular armed forces. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The attacks against members of the Movement for the Liberation of Azawad also caused widespread fear among Tuareg civilians. (Human Rights Watch 2012) |
| Other Information: | Ganda Izo told to be an offshoot of Ganda Koy, both groups existed simultaneously. In 2009 a Tuareg leader stated that the militia was founded by the government and part of the military, however, there is not further evidence for this. Gand Koy and Ganda Izo are told to be part of the Forces of Liberation of the North (FLN), however, it is not clear which other groups belong to the FLN and the groups identify themselves with this union of different militias. |
| References: |
Human Rights Watch. 2012. “Mali: Rising Ethnic Tensions Threaten New Violence”. https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/12/20/mali-rising-ethnic-tensions-threaten-new-violence. Human Rights Watch. 2013. “World Report 2013: Mali”. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/mali. Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |