Mali’s military says it’s broken a rebel blockade around a strategic northern base
Dozens of vehicles with air support reached the town from Gao as Malian troops and Russian Africa Corps partners pushed back rebel fighters, a military source said.
- On Friday, the Malian military announced it retook the strategic northern town of Anefis after a week-long battle against rebel fighters and al-Qaida-linked militants, ending a blockade of a key military base.
- The strategic town, located 60 miles from Kidal, connects Gao to rebel-controlled territory. Separatists and jihadists blockaded the base last week, ambushing military convoys and forcing the army to launch air-ground operations to break the siege.
- Reinforcements including Malian troops and the Russian Africa Corps arrived Thursday night to secure the area. The military reported conducting 15 airstrikes in the previous 24 hours, claiming to have neutralized "nearly a hundred" fighters.
- FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said the group "decided to leave Anefis for strategic reasons and to avoid civilian casualties." Separatists acknowledged withdrawing after heavy fighting, though claiming the joint forces suffered "many deaths."
- Since military coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali's junta led by Gen. Assimi Goita has struggled to restore security. Despite seeking Russian aid, the region faces a record number of militant attacks, complicating stabilization efforts.
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On July 4, the coalition composed of the FLA separatists and the JNIM jihadists launched an offensive against Anéfis, located in the Kidal region of northern Mali. The town is considered a strategic stronghold because it provides access to the far north of the country.
Mali army breaks Anéfis blockade amid renewed separatist offensive
Mali's army said it reopened access to the Anéfis base after heavy fighting with separatists and JNIM-linked militants. The clash highlights the worsening northern conflict as rival claims and foreign backing deepen instability.
Associated Press News
Mali's military says it's broken a rebel blockade around a strategic northern base
Mali’s military says it has broken a rebel blockade around a strategic army base in the north as the junta battles a renewed offensive by separatists and al-Qaida-linked militants.
Arrived in reinforcement from Gao, the Malian army and the Russian paramilitaries managed to repel the offensive of the FLA and the Jnim. A victory that could speed up the reconquest of the rebel strongholds of the North, including Kidal and Tessalit.
Insurgents withdraw from strategic north Mali town after days of fighting
BAMAKO, July 10 - A Tuareg-led separatist group has begun withdrawing from Mali's strategic northern town of Anefis after armed forces including members of Russia's paramilitary Africa Corps pushed them out, a rebel spokesperson and the army said on Friday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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