Database: Identifiers of Designated Islamic Terrorist Organizations
Ansar al-Dine
Designation Status (as of October 12, 2026)
| US State Dept FTO | Listed Ansar al-Dine (AAD) since March 22, 2013 |
|---|---|
| US Treasury OFAC SDN (SDGT) | Listed ANSAR AL-DINE |
| UK Proscribed | Not listed official list |
| EU Terrorist Lists | Listed Ansar Dine since March 20, 2013 |
| Canada Listed Entities | Listed Ansar Dine since February 3, 2021 |
| Australia Listed | Not listed official list |
Profile written 2014 The profile below is the original Jihad Intel text and has not been updated. Designation status above is current.
Designated as terrorist by: United Nations, United States
Base of operations: Mali
Background: Institute for the Study of Violent Groups
Background: U.S. Department of State
Ansar al-Dine ("Defenders of the Faith") is a terrorist outfit promoting the implementation of Shari'a (Islamic law) in its base country of Mali. It was founded by Iyad Ag Ghaly, a well-known Tuareg leader, after his failed attempt to take control of a more secular Tuareg organization in 2011. Closely connected to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar al-Dine played a major role in the northern Mali conflict of 2012 to 2013, where the group captured significant territory from former allies. In those areas, Ansar al-Dine established strict Shari'a rule that featured bans on smoking, alcohol consumption, and various forms of entertainment; the destruction of certain mausoleums and mosques; and brutal punishments such as amputations. During this period, it seized a number of French and Algerian hostages. Ansar al-Dine's influence was reduced following an intervention by the French military in 2013.
