Malian army regains control of Kidal — Deutsche Welle
The Malian army, supported by Russian paramilitary formations, has re-entered the strategic city of Kidal in the north of the country. The Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said its forces had made a controlled withdrawal from the city. As Deutsche Welle reports, by Tuesday evening Malian troops were increasing their presence in Kidal.
Separatists’ statement
The FLA said it had made the decision to conduct a strategic and controlled withdrawal from Kidal. According to the group, the withdrawal took place without direct combat.
A representative of the front linked the decision to what he described as the disproportionate use of air assets by Russian mercenaries from Africa Corps. The report notes that Malian forces relied on support from Russian paramilitary formations during the offensive.
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Struggle for a strategic city
In April, Kidal was captured by the FLA and the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). A series of attacks at that time also led to the death of Mali’s defense minister.
Tuareg separatists from the FLA have for years sought to establish an independent state in northern Mali. The military junta, which came to power after coups in 2020 and 2021, has increasingly relied on Russian paramilitary support in its fight against groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Beverly Ochieng, deputy director at the consulting firm Control Risks, told Reuters that the recapture of Kidal strengthens the authority of the military leadership and the army’s morale after a series of setbacks in the north and central parts of the country. At the same time, she described this achievement as largely symbolic rather than decisive in the campaign against jihadist and separatist groups.
