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Russian mercenaries to withdraw from Mali city after attacks
TL;DR
Russian mercenaries in Mali will withdraw from Kidal following two days of clashes with the Azawad Liberation Front, which now claims control of the city. The violence coincided with coordinated attacks across Mali, resulting in the death of Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara.
Key points
- Russian mercenaries to withdraw from Kidal after clashes
- Azawad Liberation Front claims control of Kidal
- Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed in attacks
- Coordinated attacks occurred across Mali, including Bamako
- Mali faces ongoing insurgencies from extremist groups
Mentioned in this story
Azawad Liberation FrontSadio CamaraKidalMaliBamako
Russian mercenaries hired by Mali's military have agreed to withdraw from Kidal after two days of clashes, the country's separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) group has said, as it claims to control the city.
This comes after the group - which seeks a breakaway ethnic Tuareg state in the north - took part in coordinated attacks by armed groups across Mali, including the capital, Bamako, on Saturday.
Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in the attacks near Bamako, according to his family and French media.
For years, Mali has been plagued by insurgencies by groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, and the FLA.
Fighting on Saturday had been reported in Kati, a major military base outside the capital, in Gao and Kidal in the north, and the central cities of Sevare and Mopti.
Reports suggest the assault by the separatists was primarily focused on northern cities, while the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) had staged simultaneous attacks on multiple locations across the country.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali, told the BBC the incident appeared to be the "largest co-ordinated jihadist attack on Mali for years".
FLA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said Kidal had "not fallen completely" during those attacks, at the time, telling the BBC they remained in the city because "elements of the Malian army and Russian mercenaries" were still present.
On Sunday, clashes between the FLA and the Malian government resumed in Kidal.
Shortly after these reports, Ramdane said: "An agreement was reached between the Azawad forces and the Russian elements of the Africa Corps with a view to ensuring their secure withdrawal from the fighting."
His morning social media post was followed by an update from the FLA, stating that the group was escorting the Russian mercenaries out of the city.
The group also claims to have taken control of the city, which served as an unofficial headquarters of the separatist movement for more than a decade before it was captured by Mali's army with the help of Russian mercenaries in late 2023.
An FLA field commander involved in the assault on Kidal told the BBC on Saturday the group had been preparing for the offensive "for months", adding: "Our main goal now is to control Gao and then Timbuktu will be easy to fall."
State broadcaster ORTM reported that 16 people, including civilians and soldiers, were injured in the attacks, which it said caused "limited damage".
It also said several "terrorists" had been killed, adding that the situation is "completely under control" in all affected areas.
Meanwhile, Mali's defence minister was reportedly killed in a car bomb in Kati on Saturday.
Q&A
Why are Russian mercenaries withdrawing from Kidal in Mali?
Russian mercenaries are withdrawing after two days of clashes with the Azawad Liberation Front, which claims to control the city.
What happened during the recent attacks in Mali?
Coordinated attacks by armed groups occurred across Mali, including the capital Bamako, leading to significant violence and the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara.
Who is the Azawad Liberation Front and what do they want?
The Azawad Liberation Front is a separatist group seeking a breakaway ethnic Tuareg state in northern Mali.
What impact do these clashes have on Mali's security situation?
The clashes exacerbate Mali's ongoing security crisis, which has been marked by insurgencies from groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
