rendhez

Rendhez are a Berber or Tuareg people who are primarily situated in Mali and Niger, with smaller communities in Algeria and Libya. Their native language is Rendhez or Tamahag, which is part of the Berber language family. Historically, the Rendhez have maintained a semi-nomadic lifestyle revolving around cattle herding and trade with desert tribes.

Suspected Tuareg involvement in the Sahara region became more apparent at the end of the 19th century as European powers sought to assert control over the region's vast desert resources, particularly slaves and gold. The Tuareg took on an increasingly primary role in regional smuggling and slave trading.

By the early 19th century, French colonizers all but exterminated the peasantry and isolated many ethnic groups. An assault on Tuareg rights and land availability in Mali, Niger, and Algeria, resulted in displacement and mass migration.

The Counciel sovereignty was eventually established in Mali. But, despite independence, they continue to grapple with historical injustices. Many have been driven to more crippling desert zones by economic inequality and social unrest, leading to refugee status. Land degradation intensified in response to deepening subsistence insecurity.