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REVOLUTION: TESHUMARA AND TANEKRA 241nians or hatred for Israel. It was simply a chance to gain further military skillsand combat experience, needed for their own fight to come with the Malianarmy. After their training, the fighters were based in Beirut or in the Bekaavalley, where they served mostly at air defence units, together with other Libyanvolunteers.Eight days we sufferedF-16 flew here, it shot, we shotWe had arms but we were fewThe Minta roared like thunderSix SAM launchers were erectThey were bombed, F-16 flew overThis is no affair for a boy who sayshe studied history and pretends to knowFriends, I give you the newsF-16 is hot as hell fireHey, he who has one million Dollarsshould buy an F-16 and hide ituntil the day we battle all Africans together 97The Lebanese experience would end rather well for the involved ishumar. InJune 1982, Israel launched operation Peace for Galilee, which would end themilitary presence of the PLO in Southern Lebanon after heavy fighting in boththe Bekaa valley and Beirut, where the units of the ishumar were centred. Withthe withdrawal of the PLO came an end to Tanekra presence in the Middle Eastas well. How exactly is unclear, but the Tamasheq battalion was shipped withother expelled PLO fighters to Tunis, where the PLO set up its new headquartersand from where the ishumar returned to Libya. They had lost one manin battle, while five had been taken prisoner by the Israelis during their Lebaneseadventure. These prisoners were eventually released, allegedly throughthe mediation of Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba’s wife Wassila, andreturned to Libya as well. 98 In return, the two hundred Lebanon veterans hadgained military skills and tactical knowledge that would be of great value in therebellion to come.Restructuring the movementIshumar narratives about the years of preparation in exile are rife with secretservices and secret agents of unspecified kinds, mostly from Algeria and Libya.Most of these vaguely defined outside forces are called in when historicalgossip and stories of distrust and treason are told. They are often the supportersor instigators of quarrels and outright fights between various ishumar factions.9798Poem by Cheick ag Aoussa. Lebanon, 1982. Klute, G. 2000, poem 4.Conversation with Maghniyya oueled Mohamed. Ménaka, March 1999.