Street battles and withdrawal of Russian mercenaries: Inside the 48-hour fall of Mali’s Kidal
Two and a half years later, the flag of Azawad – the Tuareg name for the northern region of Mali claimed by separatists of the FLA (Azawad Liberation Front) – is once again flying over the city of Kidal. In November 2023, the Malian army seized the city alongside Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now rebranded as Africa Corps. On April 25, separatists raised their flag in the city’s central square, claiming to have regained control. FLA fighters pose in Kidal’s main square after seizing control of the city on April 25. Location: 18°26’48.17″N 1°24’32.56″E Source: X / Wamaps_news / Guillaumem_MRC To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices The assault began at 6am. Six Malian cities found themselves under fire. In Kidal and Gao, the offensive was led by a coalition comprising the FLA and the al Qaeda-linked Jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). A morning of heavy fighting on the outskirts of Kidal An FLA commander told …
