Africa corps units partially retreat from Mali as rebels seize Kidal

Since Saturday, April 25, 2026, a coordinated offensive has been underway in Mali, led by a coalition of the Azawad Liberation Front and the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Jamaat Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin. Their forces have successfully taken control of Kidal and launched attacks on other towns in the country’s northern region. The militants’ operations have also extended toward the capital area, isolating government positions in Aguelhok and Tessalit. This alliance combines Tuareg separatist groups with jihadist elements, who have stated they are acting in concert. The offensive has involved simultaneous maneuvers along several axes, characterized by the temporary capture of military sites followed by strategic retreats.

The scale of these attacks has been described as unprecedented, affecting numerous locations across the nation, including Bamako and the garrison city of Kati. A particularly notable incident in Kati involved a suicide bomber who detonated a car bomb, targeting a high-security residence. According to eyewitness accounts, other military installations were briefly overrun in cities like Gao, Kidal, and Sévaré. Reports from the day following the main assault indicated that exchanges of gunfire and explosions were still occurring in Kidal, with armed factions remaining active across the northern territories.