In a devastating turn of events on Tuesday, a series of airstrikes, reportedly carried out by the Malian army in Kidal, resulted in the loss of several innocent lives, including children. This grim incident foreshadows a potentially intense battle for control over this crucial stronghold of the Tuareg rebellion, raising significant sovereignty concerns for the central state.
The Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), a coalition primarily composed of Tuareg armed groups, revealed in a press release that a total of 14 individuals, including eight children gathered near a school, and six community leaders, tragically lost their lives. According to the CSP, these casualties were caused by Turkish-made drones operated by the Malian army.
Residents and eyewitnesses, speaking under conditions of anonymity for their safety, reported varying numbers of deaths, ranging from six to nine, but lacked a comprehensive overview of each victim.
A healthcare worker stated, “Six people, including children, were killed in the airstrikes carried out by the Malian army. We also have wounded individuals in the hospital.” An AFP-reviewed video depicts the remains of six victims lying side by side.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Malian authorities. However, the army posted on social media last Saturday that it had “neutralized” a number of targets the previous day, who were allegedly preparing operations within the camp recently vacated by the UN mission (Minusma).
This act of war on Tuesday marks the first lethal incident in Kidal itself since the Tuareg rebellion reignited hostilities with the State in August. It solidifies concerns of an impending showdown that has been simmering for some time, involving the tens of thousands of inhabitants of the city—a historic center of independence movements and a crucial crossroads on the route to Algeria.
The defiance of Kidal and its surrounding region, where the army suffered significant defeats between 2012 and 2014, has long been a source of frustration in Bamako. The colonels who assumed power in 2020 have made the restoration of territorial sovereignty a top priority.
Nevertheless, Kidal remains under the control of rebels who, after their uprising in 2012, agreed to a ceasefire in 2014, only to recently take up arms once again.
The uprising for independence in 2012 coincided with the emergence of radical Islamist groups. These jihadists have relentlessly opposed the central state and any foreign presence, pushing Mali into a multifaceted crisis encompassing security, politics, and human rights, with repercussions extending to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Since August, the northern region has witnessed a renewed escalation involving various factions (regular army, rebels, jihadists). The UN Mission’s withdrawal, compelled by the junta, triggered a race for territorial control, with central authorities demanding the return of camps, rebels resisting, and jihadists seeking to exploit the situation to consolidate their influence.
The evacuation of Minusma’s Kidal camp was anticipated to be a highly sensitive juncture. A substantial army convoy departed on October 2 in anticipation of Minusma’s exit.
However, due to deteriorating security conditions, Minusma expedited its withdrawal and vacated its Kidal camp last week. The separatist rebellion promptly took charge, overtaking the army’s presence.
The junta expressed dissatisfaction with the accelerated disengagement of Minusma, aiming to synchronize it with the army’s arrival. Obstacles set by the junta during the evacuation led Minusma to destroy a portion of its equipment, as removal became unfeasible. The mission also left some equipment behind.
A resident, formerly employed by Minusma, revealed that among Tuesday’s victims were individuals who had gathered in front of the camp to collect equipment.
The CSP asserted that one of the drone strikes had targeted a group of children near a school adjacent to the camp.
The CSP has called upon Turkish authorities to reevaluate their policy of supplying drones to the junta, as well as the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, with which they reportedly collaborate.
Minusma, comprising around 15,000 soldiers and police, with over 180 members falling victim to hostile acts, is slated to complete its withdrawal by December 31. Since July, it has withdrawn nearly 6,000 civilian and uniformed personnel from Mali.
