The military advance towards Kidal in Mali resumes
On the morning of Monday, November 13, the Malian army resumed its offensive towards Kidal, thus returning to the road after a weekend marked by intense fighting between the army and the rebels of the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP). The clashes took place around 30 kilometers from the stronghold of the rebel groups.
Malian soldiers, accompanied by their Russian auxiliaries from Wagner, resumed their progress towards Kidal around 8 a.m. this morning. After stationing around the Alkit area, around 25 kilometers from Kidal, during the weekend, the Malian Armed Forces (Fama) are said to have moved closer to around fifteen kilometers from the town.
The Malian army indicated in a press release that it continued its progress on Monday, foiling several ambushes and low-intensity skirmishes. She claims to have notably destroyed a Minusma vehicle stuffed with explosives held by the terrorists.
However, contrary to rumors circulating, the Malian army does not mention, in its press release, having taken control of Kidal. For their part, sources within the CSP rebels report numerous airstrikes near Kidal, carried out by drones and fighter planes of the Malian army.
According to a CSP executive, Malian forces are trying to bypass their positions to reach Kidal, but the rebels are blocking them on all routes, which leads to bombings. The results of these strikes remain unknown, as it is impossible to know whether they caused casualties among rebel fighters or the civilian population.
For several days, the town of Kidal has almost emptied of its inhabitants, the majority of whom have taken refuge at the Algerian border. The city therefore remains in the hands of the CSP rebels, while the telephone networks have still been cut since Thursday evening, in order to prevent indicators from communicating the positions of the rebels to the Malian forces.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of this offensive, it is clear that the situation in Kidal is tense and that Malian forces are determined to regain control of the city. This military progression suggests possible intense clashes in the coming days, with still uncertain consequences for the population and the political future of Mali.