Malian army reports entering Kidal after FLA announces withdrawal

Mali’s army says it has entered the strategic northern city of Kidal after the Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front announced that it was withdrawing its forces.

A Malian staff officer told AFP that troops had reached the city earlier than expected. A second officer also confirmed the army’s arrival. The reported movement has not been independently verified.

Mali’s military general staff said it had conducted large-scale air-land operations in the Kidal region alongside what it called its Russian partners. The statement said the campaign was aimed at neutralising armed terrorist groups, destroying their sanctuaries and restoring security and freedom of movement for residents.

FLA describes controlled withdrawal

In a statement, the Azawad Liberation Front said it had decided to carry out a “strategic and controlled withdrawal” of its forces from Kidal. The group did not give a reason for the decision.

The FLA and allied jihadists captured Kidal during attacks in April. Beginning in late April, the FLA and JNIM launched a series of assaults that led to the capture of the city. The groups also briefly took Anefis during intense fighting in early July.

The developments come amid Mali’s long-running security crisis, which began in 2012. The conflict has involved groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, local criminal gangs and separatist forces.

Military-led government faces security challenge

Mali has been governed by the military since successive coups in 2020 and 2021. The authorities came to power promising to restore security, but the security situation has remained a major challenge.

The source report said a Malian defence minister was killed during the assaults. It did not provide further verified details about the circumstances of the death.

The military’s account of the operation and the army’s reported entry into Kidal remain claims attributed to Malian officials. The identities of the Russian partners mentioned by the general staff were not specified.