Malian army redeployed toward rebel stronghold in north: reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Oct 2023 18:21

Malian security officials report that a convoy of 119 vehicles was stopped on its way to the rebel-controlled area of Gao.

Malian Tuareg soldiers loyal, July 27, 2013 (AP)

Following a recent uptick in hostilities, the Malian army announced that it is redeploying troops toward the rebel-controlled northern town of Kidal, AFP reported citing two security officials.

"As part of the reorganization of our arrangements in the north, we have begun the redeployment of our forces in the northeastern region of Kidal," an anonymous Malian military official told AFP.

The decision was reportedly made by national security chiefs late on Sunday.

The sources added that, on Monday, a convoy of 119 vehicles was stopped on its way to the north of Gao.

Yesterday, the Malian army confirmed that new fighting had broken out in the north between the army and armed separatist groups, the latest in a series of attacks against the army in the West African country.

The army reported on social media "intense fighting" against "terrorists" in the early hours of the morning, in the area of Bamba, which separatists claimed to have taken control of.

The separatists said they had seized the northern locality in a social media message published on behalf of the Permanent Strategic Framework, which is dominated by the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA).

The CMA is an alliance of predominantly Tuareg groups seeking autonomy or independence from the Malian state.

Since the end of August, the north of Mali has seen a resumption of hostilities and an intensification of attacks against the Malian army.

Moreover, on September 7, the army was attacked in Bamba in an operation claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked alliance, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM).