Mali: frappes aériennes de l'armée à Kidal, sous contrôle des rebelles touareg
Mali faces a critical security situation and is gripped by uncertainty after coordinated and simultaneous attacks across the country that have claimed the life of the Minister of Defense and at least 23 civilian and military deaths.
These attacks were launched on Saturday by jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) rebellion. This group, composed of Tuareg, Fulani, and Arab communities, among others, claims the territory of Azawad in northern Mali and now controls Kidal after fighting in the city.
"We carried out some strikes targeting the military camp (in Kidal) and fighters who were at the level of the governorate (of the city). We do not intend to give these enemies any respite," a security source told AFP on Wednesday.
Information about these airstrikes was confirmed by an official from the FLN. An aircraft "carried out strikes this afternoon (Wednesday on Kidal, editor's note). No casualties reported," stated Attaye Ag Mohamed on social media, adding that these strikes prompted a response from the rebels' "air batteries."
A resident of Kidal told AFP that he had "heard bombings four times from the direction of the governorate".
In addition, Tuareg rebels attacked a small military camp in Gourma Rharous, a locality in the Timbuktu region, a security source told AFP.
"Reinforcements are on their way, but in any case, you know their objective is not to stay there," this source told AFP.
Tuareg separatists announced to AFP on Wednesday their intention to conquer the major cities of northern Mali.
Historically a nomadic people spread across several states – Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya and Burkina Faso – the Tuareg have been waging armed struggles for decades against their "marginalization", particularly around the key city of Kidal.
Azawad, as claimed by the FLA, refers to a vast territory located in the north, corresponding to the administrative regions of Kidal, Gao, Ménaka and Timbuktu, plus parts of Mopti in the center of the country.
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