Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) – Malian forces, backed by Russian military personnel, have launched a major air-and-ground offensive around Kidal, stepping up efforts to regain control of the strategic northern city after the withdrawal of the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA).
The Malian military announced the operation on Tuesday as the FLA confirmed that it was pulling its fighters out of Kidal. The developments mark a major shift in the battle for the city, which has changed hands twice in less than three years.
The General Staff of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) said the operation, conducted with its Russian partners, forms part of a reconfiguration of the Dougoukoloko operation. It said the forces were targeting armed groups across the Kidal region, with the stated objectives of destroying their bases and supply networks and restoring security and freedom of movement.
The military also urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and to cooperate with security forces by reporting suspicious movements or behavior.
FLA withdrawal opens the way to Kidal
The FLA announced on Tuesday that it had ordered its fighters to withdraw from Kidal, describing the move as a temporary and controlled withdrawal. The movement attributed the decision to intensified air operations by the Malian military and its Russian partners.
Reuters reported that a source close to the FLA leadership said the aerial operations had begun several days earlier.
The announcement came as Malian forces and their Russian partners were mounting what the military described as “large-scale” air-and-ground operations in the region.
Multiple reports subsequently indicated that FAMa and Russian Africa Corps personnel had entered Kidal. The Associated Press of Senegal, citing several sources, reported that the forces had entered the city after the FLA withdrawal, while Anadolu reported that a senior Malian military source had confirmed the presence of government forces in Kidal.
The Malian military itself, however, has so far framed its announcement around the wider operation rather than formally declaring the reconquest of the city.
A second battle for a strategic city
Kidal has become a major symbol of the struggle between Bamako and northern armed movements. Malian forces, with Russian support, captured the city in November 2023 after the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission, in what was then regarded as a major military success for the authorities.
The FLA and allied armed groups regained control of Kidal in April 2026 following coordinated attacks that forced government forces to withdraw from the area. The FLA subsequently held the city for roughly six months.
The latest offensive therefore represents a determined attempt by FAMa and their Russian partners to reverse that setback. The combination of air operations and ground forces has increased pressure on the FLA and appears to have prompted its decision to vacate the city rather than engage in a direct ground confrontation.
For now, the immediate military objective appears to be the restoration of government control over Kidal and the wider region. The authorities have also made clear that the campaign will continue beyond the city, with the military saying FAMa and their Russian partners intend to pursue armed groups across Mali.
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