New fighting in Mali's Kidal between army and rebels

BAMAKO: Fresh fighting erupted Sunday in the key Malian northern city of Kidal between rebels and government forces backed by Russian mercenaries, Tuareg rebels and a local politician told AFP.

An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group on Saturday teamed up with Tuareg rebels to launch coordinated attacks against the army across junta-ruled Mali.

Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition on Saturday said they had seized the northern city of Kidal, supported by jihadist fighters.

“Fighting resumed in Kidal this morning. We want to drive out the last Russian fighters who have taken refuge in a camp,” Mohamed Ramdane, sa spokesman for the Tuareg rebels said.

A local elected official confirmed the fighting.

“Today, Sunday, fighting resumed in Kidal between the Malian army, the Russians and the (Tuareg) rebels. Residents heard gunfire. There’s shooting,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Kidal, a Tuareg stronghold, was retaken in November 2023 by the Malian army backed by Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, ending more than a decade of control by rebels.

The FLA also claims to have taken positions in the northern Gao region.

Mali has been ravaged for more than a decade by conflict and jihadist violence but Saturday’s attacks were the worst since 2020, when the junta seized power.

Saturday’s attacks took place on the fringes of the Malian capital Bamako and several towns and cities across the sprawling Sahel nation.

They left 16 civilians and soldiers wounded and caused “limited material damage,” the government said in a statement on Saturday evening, adding that “the situation is totally under control in all the localities” that were attacked.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday condemned “acts of violence” in Mali.

“The Secretary‑General is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali,” his spokesman said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General calls for coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and to meet urgent humanitarian needs,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric added.