In Mali, a coordinated offensive between the JNIM, a terrorist group with ties to Al-Qaeda, and the Tuareg rebel faction known as the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA), successfully dislodged the Malian armed forces and their Russian counterparts from Africa Corps from several key towns in late April. I was able to observe members of the FLA in Kidal, a city they now firmly command after it was initially retaken from them towards the end of 2023. The intense combat prompted the entire local population to evacuate, as these Tuareg rebels, now operating in alliance with JNIM, prepare for an anticipated counter-offensive from the Malian government.
Tuareg rebels solidify control in Mali’s strategic Kidal region
