Mali's junta retakes strategic town of Kidal from separatists

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 7 Oct, 15:14 · Archive

Mali's military has retaken the strategic northern town of Kidal from Tuareg separatists and jihadists.

Mali's military has entered the strategic northern city of Kidal, which Tuareg separatists withdrew from as the junta's forces advanced. The separatists and their al-Qaeda-linked JNIM allies had captured Kidal around five months ago, in late April, when they launched a series of attacks that included killing Mali's defence minister.

The recapture represents a significant military success for Mali's junta and its Russian backers. The separatists and jihadists had used the offensive to attempt to weaken the junta's grip on power, but the withdrawal from Kidal marks a reversal of their earlier gains.

How it is being reported

• Russia-backed Mali junta retakes strategic town after separatists withdrawThe Malian army says it has entered the strategic northern city of Kidal, which was captured around five months ago by Tuareg separatists who announced their withdrawal earlier Tuesday as the military advanced – a symbolic boost to Mali's junta and its Russian backers. In late April, jihadists from Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and its Tuareg separatist allies kicked off a series of attacks aimed at weakening Mali's junta rulers, including taking control of Kidal and killing the defence minister. FRANCE 24’s Senior journalist Wassim Nasr explains.France 24 · 7 Oct, 14:55
• Mali: Junta forces retake strategic town of Kidal from separatistsMali's military regained control of the strategic town of Kidal after forcing Tuareg separatists and al Queda-linked jihadists to withdraw following an offensive backed by Russia's Africa Corps.DW News · 7 Oct, 03:45

In this story: Mali · Kidal · Tuareg separatists · JNIM · Russia

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