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Russian fighters confirm withdrawal from northern Mali city after separatist attacks
The insurgent assault killed Mali’s defence minister and involved as many as 12,000 fighters, according to Africa Corps.
- On Monday, the Russian Africa Corps withdrew from Kidal following a negotiated deal with the Azawad Liberation Front , allowing the separatist group to claim control and declare the city "now free."
- Kidal served as an unofficial separatist headquarters for over a decade before Mali's army, supported by Russian mercenaries, captured the city in late 2023.
- Fighting resumed in Kidal on Sunday, but FLA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said an agreement was reached with the Africa Corps to ensure their "secure withdrawal from the fighting."
- Islamist radicals and northern separatists launched their biggest offensive in 14 years, with the Africa Corps reporting up to 12,000 insurgents involved in coordinated attacks across Mali.
- Although the Africa Corps confirmed it "left the locality" of Kidal, the Russian military contingent stated operations will continue elsewhere in Mali without providing further details.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Observers speak of a new quality: since the weekend, Tuareg rebels have been attacking facilities of the military junta in Mali nationwide. The Minister of Defense is also killed. In the north of the country, the jihadists report an agreement with Russian mercenaries on a withdrawal.
Russian mercenaries and Malian government forces have been driven out of Kidal, one of the most important cities in northern Mali for Tuareg rebels. According to reports, the Malian army and the Russians supporting them, belonging to the Wagner successor organization, have already left the area, while the rebels have gained full control of the city. The strategically important Kidal was under the control of various rebel groups for decades, but …
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