Wars in the Sahel region

[retaxis]

Mali: Junta forces retake strategic town of Kidal​

Shakeel Sobhan AFP, AP, Reuters
10/07/2026October 7, 2026
Mali's military regained control of the strategic town of Kidal after forcing Tuareg separatists and al Qaeda-linked jihadists to withdraw following an offensive backed by Russia's Africa Corps.

Mali: Junta forces retake strategic town of Kidal from separatists

Mali's military regained control of the strategic town of Kidal after forcing Tuareg separatists and al Qaeda-linked jihadists to withdraw following an offensive backed by Russia's Africa Corps.

p.dw.com

Malian troops ⁠were "reinforcing ⁠their presence" in the town by Tuesday night, a government statement said [FILE: May 9, 2026]Image: AFP
Advertisement

Mali's army, supported by Russian paramilitary forces, has re-entered the northern town of Kidal, forcing the Tuareg separatists to withdraw from the strategic hold, in a symbolic boost for the country's military government and its Russian allies.

The Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said in a statement it had "decided to carry out a strategic and controlled withdrawal of its forces from the town of Kidal." It said the withdrawal took place without direct fighting.

This followed the "disproportionate use of aerial assets by Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps," according to an FLA spokesperson.

How did Kidal fall earlier this year?​

The FLA and al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) seized Kidal during a series of attacks earlier this year in April that also killed Mali's defense minister.

Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front have been fighting for years to create an independent state in northern Mali.

Mali's junta, which came to power in back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, has increasingly relied on Russian paramilitary support against fighters linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Mali's junta in recent years distanced itself from former colonial power France and deepened military and political ties with Russia [FILE: May 9, 2026]Image: AFP

What does Kidal's recapture mean for Mali's junta?​

Analysts say the latest advance is largely a symbolic victory for Mali's junta.

"A successful recapture... affirms the military-led government's authority and boosts the army's morale, particularly after several high-profile setbacks both in the north and the central regions in recent weeks," Beverly Ochieng, associate director of Control Risks, told Reuters.

Ochieng, however, added the retaking of Kidal is largely "symbolic" and not "decisive" in Mali's campaign against jihadist and separatist groups.

Human rights organizations have often accused the Malian army and Russian paramilitaries of killing civilians during military operations, with all sides also accused of committing war crimes.

 

[retaxis]

It seems like Sahel might turn into another bloodbath. After expelling western diplomats, the beloved leader Traore of Burkino Faso got a bullseye on his back by western leaders.

For Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader and interim president of Burkina Faso, the concept of "enemies in the West" spans two distinct categories: Western geopolitical powers (and the international organizations they back) and neighboring West African nations that he accuses of acting as proxies for Western interests. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Traoré’s anti-imperialist, Pan-African stance has led him to systematically sever ties with traditional allies while actively accusing several entities of plotting his overthrow. [1, 2, 3]

1. Western Geopolitical Powers & Organizations
Traoré frames traditional Western powers as primary adversaries trying to destabilize his government and exploit Burkina Faso's natural resources: [1, 2]

• • France: As Burkina Faso's former colonial ruler, France is viewed by Traoré as a chief antagonist. He has expelled French military forces, terminated formal diplomatic relations, closed the Burkinabè embassy in Paris, and banned French media outlets. His government has went as far as approving the death penalty for foreign spies, a move explicitly aimed at countering French intelligence. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • The European Union (EU): Traoré's administration has issued direct ultimatums to the EU to halt perceived interference in internal state affairs under threat of a total diplomatic severance. [1]
  • The United States: Relations with Washington have deteriorated heavily since Traoré rejected U.S. election conditions, pivoted to Russian security partnerships, and clashed with leadership from the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) over domestic policies and gold reserve management. [1, 2]
  • Western Legal & Human Rights Bodies: Traoré openly rejects Western legal jurisdiction and human rights standards, initiating a withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). He frequently dismisses human rights and war crimes allegations from Western-backed NGOs as "propaganda campaigns" meant to demonize Burkinabè forces. [1, 2, 3]

2. Pro-Western "Enemies" within West Africa
Traoré has repeatedly accused neighboring, Western-aligned African nations and regional bodies of harboring forces that want to depose him:

• • Côte d'Ivoire: Traoré has publicly accused Côte d'Ivoire of sheltering terrorists, engaging in espionage, and serving as a safe haven for Burkina Faso's enemies. His intelligence services claimed that a highly coordinated 2024 coup attempt against his presidency was actively orchestrated from Abidjan. [1, 2, 3]
  • Benin: Alongside Côte d'Ivoire, Traoré has accused Benin's leadership of hosting hostile actors and acting against the sovereignty of Burkina Faso. [1]
  • ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States): Traoré views this regional bloc as an instrument of Western imperialism. In response to its pro-Western leanings and sanctions, he withdrew Burkina Faso from ECOWAS and established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) alongside Mali and Niger to form a defensive

 

[retaxis]

It is a shame that so many muslim countries around the world are at war right now from Sahel to Ethiopia (ogaden muslim somalis) to Sudan & RSF to the middle east which is on fire.

I think this link gives a better idea of the sides fighting in the conflict at the moment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_the_Sahel