Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition ride on the back of a pickup truck in Kidal, on April 26, 2026. April 25, 2026's shock attacks, synchronised by Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), targeted several areas in the vast arid country. Fighting resumed on April 26 in several areas, including Kita near Bamako, Kidal, Gao and Severe. Tuareg rebels meanwhile announced an agreement allowing Russian forces backing Mali's army to withdraw from the northern city of Kidal, which they claimed was "totally" under their control. (Photo by AFP) / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by - has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Removes byline]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”

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The Africa Corps’s Malian difficulties: a setback for Putin’s military presence

By sahel-express / April 27, 2026

the Africa Corps’s Malian difficulties: a setback for Putin’s military presence

The recapture of Kidal, a strategically vital Tuareg stronghold in 2023, has delivered a profound setback to Russian military operations in Mali. Africa Corps, often positioned as Vladimir Putin’s primary military presence in Africa, is now visibly struggling, thereby diminishing the Kremlin’s projection of global power.

A scene resembling a chaotic retreat unfolded on Sunday, April 26, in Kidal, located in northern Mali. A line of military pick-up trucks churned through the dust, hastily evacuating the area to the triumphant cheers of Tuareg rebels from the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA). Aboard these vehicles were members of Africa Corps, the Russian-aligned armed force supporting the Malian junta. The departure, though reportedly part of an agreement, occurred without direct confrontation, yet it came at the undeniable cost of public humiliation. As documented by France 24, the soldiers were disarmed and individually accounted for before abandoning their strategic position.

As they watched, the rebels openly celebrated, conspicuously brandishing a French flag—a potent act of provocation and a sharp historical nod to the region’s recent past. Djenabou Cissé, an associate researcher at the Fondation pour la recherche stratégique, observed, “The only genuine strategic triumph the Russians had achieved since their arrival in Mali in 2021 was precisely the capture of Kidal, a historic Tuareg stronghold.” Its recent fall, therefore, unequivocally signals a significant repudiation of their military efforts.

 

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