The Malian army regained control of Kidal on Tuesday, October 6. The fighters of the Azawad Liberation Front had announced their withdrawal before the entry of the government forces. The city remains at the heart of the conflict between Bamako and Tuareg independence groups.
Kidal is again under the control of the Malian army. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), supported by Russian elements of the Africa Corps, entered this strategic city in the north of the country on Tuesday. The recovery comes almost six months after the loss of the city. At the end of April, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and its allies had taken control of Kidal. The Malian forces were then forced to leave the area. This time, the army claims to have conducted large-scale airborne operations in the region. However, the FLA had previously announced a « strategic and controlled retreat » of its forces. The movement explains that it wanted to preserve its fighters and capabilities.
A recovery without a real battle in Kidal
The entry of Malian forces into the city was not accompanied by major fighting. According to several sources, the rebel fighters had left Kidal before the arrival of government troops. The situation contrasts with the clashes that marked the takeover of the city a few months earlier. However, Kidal remains a major military and political position. The city is historically associated with the Tuareg rebellion. Its control is therefore an issue that goes beyond the territorial dimension alone.
The recovery is also a symbolic success for Bamako. It comes after several months during which the transitional government sought to restore its presence in this part of the country.
A largely deserted city
Another peculiarity of this recovery: Kidal has been largely emptied of its inhabitants. According to sources cited by AFP, a large part of the population had left the city before or during the last clashes. The army therefore recovers a city whose operating conditions remain strongly disturbed. The challenge for Bamako is now to maintain its presence in the long term. Kidal’s military recovery is an important step. But controlling the city over time, restoring public services and securing the surrounding roads represent different challenges.
For the Malian authorities, the next step will therefore be to consolidate this recovery. For the FLA, the announced withdrawal does not mean the end of the confrontation.
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