Al-Murabitoun, waɗanda a baya suke cikin ƙungiyar al-Qa’ida a Yankin Musulman Maghreb (al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb – AQIM), ta zama ƙungiya daban a ƙarshen 2012 bayan shugabanta Mokhtar Belmokhtar ya ɓalle daga AQIM. Bayan rabuwar, Belmokhtar ya yi barazanar yaƙar Turawan Yamma da kadarorinsu sannan ya sanar da kafa Ɓataliyar al-Mulathamun. A 2013, Rundunar al-Mulathamun da Ƙungiyar Haɗin Kai da Jihadi a Yammacin Afirka (Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa – MUJAO) da ke Mali sun sanar cewa za su kasance ƙarƙashin sunan “al-Murabitoun.” A 2015, al-Murabitoun ta sanar da sake haɗewa da AQIM. Al-Mourabitoun ta haɗe da wasu ƙungiyoyi uku na yanki a 2017 don kafa Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).
A Janairun 2013, ƙungiyar da aka sani yanzu da suna al-Murabitoun ta ɗauiki nauyin kai hari ma’aikatar iskan gas ta Tiguentourine da ke kusa da In Amenas a kudu maso gabashin Aljeriya. Mutum fiye da 800 ne aka yi garkuwa da su yayin harin na tsawon kwana huɗu Fararen hula 39 aka kashe da suka haɗa da Amurkawa uku a harin. A watan Nuwamban 2015, mayaƙan al-Murabitoun sun kai otel ɗin Radisson Blu da ke Bamako tare da yin garkuwa da mutum fiye da 170—ciki har da Amurkawa. Mutum kusan 27 aka kashe a harin, cikinsu akwai wani Ba’amurke ma’aikacin ƙasa da ƙasa. Rahotanni sun ce al-Murabitoun ta shiga harin da AQIM ta kai kan wani shahararren otel na ‘yan yawon buɗe ido a Burkina Faso a Janairun 2016, inda aka kashe mutum kusan 30 ciki har da ɗan Amurka.
A ranar 19 ga Disamban 2013, Ma’aikatar Harkokin Wajen Amurka ta ayyana al-Murabitoun, ƙarƙashin sunan al-Murabitoun Battalion, a matsayin ƙungiyar ta’addanci ta ƙasar waje wato Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) ƙarƙashin sashe na 219 na Dokar Ƙaura da Zama Ɗan Ƙasa, wadda aka yi wa kwaskwarima. Kafin haka, a ranar 18 ga Disamban 2013 Ma’aikatar Harkokin Wajen Amurka ta ayyana al-Mulathamun Battalion a matsayin ƙungiyar ta’addanci ta duniya wato Specially Designated Global Terrorist bisa umarnin shugaban ƙasa na Executive Order 13224 da aka yi wa kwaskwarima. Har yanzu al-Murabitoun shi ne sunan ƙungiyar da aka fi sani. Sakamakon haka, an hana ƙungiyar taɓa dukkan dukiya ko kadarorin da ta mallaka da ke ƙarƙashin ikon Amurka, kuma an haramta wa Amurkawa hulɗar kuɗi da al-Murabitoun/al-Mulathamun Battalion. Laifi ne mutum ya samar ko ya yi unƙurin samarwa ko ya haɗa baki wajen samar wa al-Murabitoun/al-Mulathamun Battalion kayan aiki da gangan.
