Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The rebels are linked to al-Qaeda.
A tense standoff in northern Mali has ended with a negotiated exit, reshaping control of a key desert city.
Malian troops alongside Russian-linked forces have withdrawn from Kidal following an agreement with a coalition of Tuareg and Islamist fighters.
According to reporting by AFP, the deal involved the Azawad Liberation Front and the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Local outlet La Revue Afrique reports similar developments.
Witnesses said a convoy gathered at a former UN MINUSMA base before departing under escort from the armed alliance. The exit appeared organized, with vehicles leaving in sequence as opposition fighters entered the city.
A Tuareg official told AFP: “An accord has been reached permitting the Malian army and its Africa Corps allies to leave Camp 2, where they were holed up since yesterday.”
Shifting control
Local accounts described sniper units withdrawing alongside the main forces, clearing the way for rebel entry. The move followed claims by the Azawad Liberation Front that it had secured “total control” of Kidal with JNIM’s support.
Only a final pocket of resistance remained before the agreement; it has now reportedly been evacuated.
“Kidal is declared free,” said FLA spokesperson Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadan.
Mali’s military leadership confirmed the repositioning. Armed Forces Chief Gen. Oumar Diarra said troops had redeployed to Anéfis, roughly 100 kilometers south of Kidal.
Uncertain next phase
Kidal has frequently changed hands and was recaptured by Malian forces with Russian backing in November 2023 after years under rebel influence. The latest withdrawal marks another reversal in control.
Russia’s Africa Corps said its units left “in accordance with a joint decision of the leadership of the Republic of Mali,” adding that wounded fighters and heavy equipment were evacuated first.
The group described the situation in Mali as “complex” and said operations would continue elsewhere.
However, Anéfis itself has seen previous attacks. Rebel forces have targeted positions near the town using artillery and FPV drones against Malian and Russian-linked forces.
Putin has his eyes set on Africa
According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Russia has expanded its influence in Africa in recent years.
Part of the expansion has included the deployment of former Wagner mercenaries (now called the Africa Corps).
According to The Kyiv Independent, the Africa Corps has played a vital role in supporting the Malian military junta.
A 2024 report from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies exposed 23 trans-African disinformation campaigns conducted by Kremlin-linked actors.
That is on top of numerous localized disinformation campaigns.
Sources: AFP, Reuters, AP, United24Media, The Kyiv Independent, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies
