Mali conflict: Kidal under rebel control targeted by army strikes

Four military airstrikes rocked Kidal overnight, leaving visible destruction in their wake, according to a local resident who requested anonymity. One strike demolished a residential building near the city’s former marketplace, while another gouged a deep crater in the courtyard of Kidal’s government complex. The city had just been seized by the National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLA), in alliance with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (Jnim)—the Sahelian arm of Al-Qaeda, led by Iyad Ag Ghaly.

«Our operations remain surgical. We are executing a deliberate strategy. Expect intensified strikes in the coming days,» declared a Malian army officer stationed at the operational command center in Mopti.

City gripped by tension

By Thursday morning, Kidal had fallen eerily silent. Traffic had nearly vanished, the witness reported, adding that many residents had fled under cover of darkness.

Northern Mali now faces a deepening security crisis, compounded by unprecedented coordinated attacks. Jihadist fighters from Jnim, alongside the FLA rebels, launched sweeping offensives against strategic positions held by the military junta in Bamako.

Rebels push to expand control

The FLA, a predominantly Tuareg separatist group that also includes Arab communities, has publicly vowed to capture more northern cities. Their claimed territory—the Azawad—encompasses the regions of Kidal, Gao, Ménaka, and Tombouctou. For decades, Tuareg groups have waged armed campaigns, citing systemic marginalization with Kidal as a focal point of resistance.

The offensive marks a major escalation in the struggle for autonomy in Mali’s northern territories, where long-standing grievances continue to fuel conflict and instability.