Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie

The Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK; French: Mouvement pour l’autodétermination de la Kabylie), formerly the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (French: Mouvement pour l'autonomie de la Kabylie), is a Kabyle nationalist and separatist political organization seeking the independence of the Kabylia region from Algeria. It was founded by the Kabyle Berberist Ferhat Mehenni, now president of the Provisional Government of Kabylie in exile, after the "Black Spring" disturbances in 2001. It is designated a terrorist organization by Algeria.^[6]

Movement for Self-Determination of Kabylie French: Mouvement pour l’autodétermination de la Kabylie Kabyle: Amussu i ufraniman n tmurt n iqbayliyen
Leader	Ferhat Mehenni
Founded	30 June 2001
Headquarters	Paris, France
Ideology	Separatism Kabyle nationalism Secularism Berberism[1] Anti-Arab racism[2] Zionism[3][4]
Colors	Blue   Red   Yellow
Designated as a terrorist group by	Algeria[5]
Party flag
Politics of Algeria Political parties Elections

Terrorist activities

Since 2021, the MAK has been classified as a terrorist organization in Algeria after claims from the Algerian authorities saying that MAK members were planting car bombs.^[6] The founder of MAK, Mehenni, was arrested by the French authorities and placed in police custody in 2021 as part of an investigation into organised money laundering in relation to sports betting.^[7]

Algerian authorities accused MAK of ordering the widespread 2021 Algeria wildfires in the region of Kabylia. Five members of MAK were convicted in absentia for involvement in the murder of Djamel Ben Ismail on August 11, 2021. Among the members was the organization's leader, Ferhat Mehenni.^[8] On August 26, 2021, Algeria issued an international arrest warrant for Ferhat Mehenni.^[9]

In October 2021, Algerian authorities claimed to have thwarted a plot by MAK to carry out armed attacks in Algeria, allegedly planned by Israel and "a country in North Africa." 17 suspects were arrested as they were preparing the attacks.^[10]

In August 2024, Algeria reportedly foiled a terrorist plot allegedly linked to the MAK. The plan involved smuggling firearms to Algeria via Béjaïa from Marseille, France, ahead of the 2024 Algerian presidential election. Authorities arrested 21 individuals and seized 46 firearms, along with ammunition, foreign currency, and GPS devices.^[11]

Foreign funding

In 2011, a close associate of Ferhat Mehenni and a former senior member of the organisation, Idir Djouder, accused the MAK of receiving funds from Morocco (250,000 euros per month) and criticised its management methods. Idir Djouder uses the term "dictator", he describes his "government" and the content of the meetings as formal with decisions taken "elsewhere".^[12]

See also

• Kabyle people
• Berber people
• Politics of Algeria
• Barbacha - A self-governing town in Kabylie.
• Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) - The main Liberal Berber party.
• Socialist Forces Front (FFS) - The main Socialist Berber party.
• Arouch Movement - A Kabyle political organization modelled on traditional village councils.