Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) Heavy fighting continued on Monday around the military camp of Anéfis in northern Mali, where Malian forces and their Russian partners from the Africa Corps remain entrenched as armed groups attempt to seize the strategic position.
According to reports from the Kidal region, jihadists from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), linked to al-Qaeda, and separatist fighters from the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA) have surrounded the camp after taking control of the town of Anéfis.
The assault comes after a new wave of coordinated attacks launched across several parts of Mali on 4 July. Armed groups reportedly fired artillery shells and kamikaze drones at the camp on Monday, while the Malian army responded with aerial strikes.
Military officials have not announced casualty figures, and the battle was still ongoing at the time of reporting.
Anéfis Matters Because of The Wider Struggle for Kidal
Anéfis is a small town of fewer than 8,000 inhabitants, according to Mali’s 2023 census, although many residents have fled because of years of conflict. Despite its size, the locality occupies a critical position at the entrance to the Kidal region along National Road 18, roughly 100 kilometers south of the city of Kidal.
For the FLA separatists, Kidal is considered a historic stronghold, making control of Anéfis strategically important for access to the region.
The current battle is part of a broader contest for northern Mali. Malian forces and Russian allies expelled separatist groups from Kidal in November 2023, when the Russian Wagner Group was operating alongside the Malian army.
However, the separatists regained Kidal on 25 April after forming an alliance with JNIM fighters. Armed groups subsequently captured Tessalit, which had been abandoned by Malian and Russian forces.
Preparation for Counter-Offensives With Strategic Stakes
Since losing Kidal, Malian forces and the Russian Africa Corps have maintained positions in Aguelhoc and Anéfis. The Malian military announced in early May that it was reorganizing troops and reinforcing weaponry in preparation for future operations aimed at retaking lost territory.
The Africa Corps has repeatedly reported air deliveries of weapons and equipment to both Aguelhoc and Anéfis, as well as patrols conducted in the area.
Analysts say whoever controls Anéfis gains a key logistical foothold between government-held positions and the separatist-controlled city of Kidal. For Bamako, holding the camp could preserve a launch point for future offensives.
For the FLA and JNIM alliance, capturing it would further consolidate their grip over much of the Kidal region and deepen pressure on remaining government positions in northern Mali.
With artillery, drones, and air strikes now being used by both sides, the battle for Anéfis is emerging as one of the most significant military confrontations in northern Mali since the fall of Kidal earlier this year.
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