Tuareg separatists and jihadist fighters have seized control of the northern Malian town of Kidal after coordinated attacks on military positions, local sources and an ally of the regional governor said on Monday.
The development follows two days of heavy fighting between Malian forces and allied armed groups, plunging the junta-led West African nation into renewed uncertainty over its security situation.
A source close to the local administration said government forces had withdrawn from the town. “We have left Kidal. We are no longer there. It’s the jihadists and the FLA who are in Kidal,” the source told AFP.
Residents also reported seeing Malian soldiers and Russian mercenary fighters leaving the area after the offensive.
The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg separatist coalition, claimed full control of Kidal at the weekend, alongside fighters linked to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). The groups also targeted several strategic locations around the capital Bamako in a wider coordinated assault.
Kidal, long considered a separatist stronghold, had only been recaptured by government forces in late 2023 during an offensive supported by Russian mercenaries.
The army has since described its withdrawal as a “redeployment” to positions closer to Anefis, about 100 kilometres away.
Tensions remain high in the capital Bamako and nearby Kati, where security has been tightened, although daily life has partially resumed. Heavily armed soldiers continue to patrol key areas, with checkpoints around the airport temporarily lifted.
The Malian government has declared national mourning following the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara, who was killed in a car bomb attack in Kati along with members of his family.
Authorities say more than 200 militants were killed during the weekend clashes, while at least 16 soldiers and civilians were wounded. However, independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult.
The latest escalation marks one of the most serious security challenges for Mali’s military leadership since the 2012 insurgency, raising fresh concerns over stability in the country’s north.
