In an interview with al-Qaeda’s al-Massar publication:

“Our enemies are the enemies of the Muslim people, Jews and Christians, but France remains our historic enemy in this part of the Islamic world. France and its supporters, such as the US, Germany, Sweden, and West African countries that have joined them: Chad, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Niger.”Malek Bachir, “France is our first enemy, says 'emir' of new al-Qaeda affiliate,” April 7, 2017, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/france-our-first-enemy-says-emir-new-al-qaeda-affiliate.

”Warn France [that] our children know her but she does not know them. Hate for her is in the blood! #Massacre #GerenationState”DAWLA COAST, Twitter post, June 25, 2015, 3:25 a.m., https://twitter.com/Hass_CoastDAWLA/status/614016665068699648.

“The enmity of France towards the religion of Islam is old, since this state appeared as a global power, and it set out crusader colonial campaigns it didn’t stop its aggression against the Muslims rather it continued to this day, although in recent times it began to take the forms dominated by the character of malice and guile and cunning, and exhuming the infrastructure of the Islamic civilization and identity intending to ruining and blur its features, without rushing to the use of military force, and this crusade is only another proof for the deep-rootedness of this enmity in the hearts of the French politicians, the old and current, liberals and socialists, moderates and extremists, they are all alike.”“The English Translation of the audio speech for sheikh Abu Ubayda Yousif Al-Annabi Entitled War on Mali,” azelinfiles.wordpress.com, May 2013, http://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/shaykh-abc5ab-ubaydah-yc5absuf-al-anc481bc4ab-22the-war-on-mali22-en.pdf. See Aaron Y. Zelin, “al-Andalus Media presents a new video message from al-Qā’idah in the Islamic Maghrib’s Shaykh Abū ‘Ubaydah Yūsuf al ‘Anābī: ‘The War on Mali,’” Jihadology, May 7, 2013, http://jihadology.net/2013/05/07/al-andalus-media-presents-a-new-video-message-from-al-qaidah-in-the-islamic-maghribs-shaykh-abu-ubaydah-yusuf-al-anabi-the-war-in-mali/.

“O’ people of Islam all over the world: before this new crusade of France and its occupation for one of the Muslims lands we can only call all of you to a comprehensive and general mobilization, and ask you to support your brothers with all the kinds of support that you capable of, and we remind you that jihad after this aggression became an individual obligation on every capable person from you… O’ all Muslims it is an obligation on you to repel this assault by targeting the French interests everywhere because since the first day of this aggression since these interests have become legitimate targets for you.”“The English Translation of the audio speech for sheikh Abu Ubayda Yousif Al-Annabi Entitled War on Mali,” Fursan Al-Balagh Media Translation Department, May 2013, http://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/shaykh-abc5ab-ubaydah-yc5absuf-al-anc481bc4ab-22the-war-on-mali22-en.pdf.

“And Muslim you should know that a nation that is indulged in the swamp of immoralities and vices that it reached to this level of debauchery, shamelessness, misguidance and ignorance isn’t worthy of causing any eeriness in your souls no matter how much its air force was superior, and France should know that what will resolve this religious war won’t be the air force rather it will be the weapon of Aqeeda and Iman Allah willing.”“The English Translation of the audio speech for sheikh Abu Ubayda Yousif Al-Annabi Entitled War on Mali,” azelinfiles.wordpress.com, May 2013, http://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/shaykh-abc5ab-ubaydah-yc5absuf-al-anc481bc4ab-22the-war-on-mali22-en.pdf. See Aaron Y. Zelin, “al-Andalus Media presents a new video message from al-Qā’idah in the Islamic Maghrib’s Shaykh Abū ‘Ubaydah Yūsuf al ‘Anābī: ‘The War on Mali,’” Jihadology, May 7, 2013, http://jihadology.net/2013/05/07/al-andalus-media-presents-a-new-video-message-from-al-qaidah-in-the-islamic-maghribs-shaykh-abu-ubaydah-yusuf-al-anabi-the-war-in-mali/.

“As for the Islamic Sharia which because of it France invaded us Insha’Allah it will return to prevail on the land of Mali because the feeling of our people there of belonging to Islam is rooted in its conscience that cannot be destabilized by a force or army, especially when this army consists of homosexuals like the French army…”“The English Translation of the audio speech for sheikh Abu Ubayda Yousif Al-Annabi Entitled War on Mali,” azelinfiles.wordpress.com, May 2013, http://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/shaykh-abc5ab-ubaydah-yc5absuf-al-anc481bc4ab-22the-war-on-mali22-en.pdf. See Aaron Y. Zelin, “al-Andalus Media presents a new video message from al-Qā’idah in the Islamic Maghrib’s Shaykh Abū ‘Ubaydah Yūsuf al ‘Anābī: ‘The War on Mali,’” Jihadology, May 7, 2013, http://jihadology.net/2013/05/07/al-andalus-media-presents-a-new-video-message-from-al-qaidah-in-the-islamic-maghribs-shaykh-abu-ubaydah-yusuf-al-anabi-the-war-in-mali/.

“[W]e support and call all the Muslims to target France and its interests and subjects inside and outside France until it withdraws the last soldier the land of the Muslims and lift its support of rulers of the region who oppress their people and its support to the Zionist entity who occupies Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa one of the greatest sanctities of Islam.”Casey Britton, “AQIM: Answers to Open Meeting with Sheikh Abu Abdul Ilah Ahmad,” WorldAnalysis.net, April 19, 2013, http://worldanalysis.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2197.

 “Field reports are scarce with the French crusade due to the harshness of the desert and its special conditions…”Casey Britton, “AQIM: Answers to Open Meeting with Sheikh Abu Abdul Ilah Ahmad,” WorldAnalysis.net, April 19, 2013, http://worldanalysis.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2197.

“Chinguetti the land of knowledge and wisdom has a special status in our hearts and its sons today are in the first ranks – as their ancestors were – to confront the French crusade on Muslim Mali...”Casey Britton, “AQIM: Answers to Open Meeting with Sheikh Abu Abdul Ilah Ahmad,” WorldAnalysis.net, April 19, 2013, http://worldanalysis.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2197.

“[In response to the question, ‘We hear threatening France, when will we hear operations inside France and are their (sic) capabilities to conduct that action on the ground?’] Not everything that known is said (sic), and you will see what will happen Allah willing and repelling assault of aggressive France is an obligation on every Muslim and not Al-Qaeda alone.”Casey Britton, “AQIM: Answers to Open Meeting with Sheikh Abu Abdul Ilah Ahmad,” WorldAnalysis.net, April 19, 2013, http://worldanalysis.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2197.