Mali separatists, jihadists attack Russian-Malian convoy

Tuareg separatists and jihadist allies attacked a convoy of Russian mercenaries and Malian soldiers in northern Mali on Thursday morning as it headed toward Anefis.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front, said FLA fighters engaged the reinforcement force near Tabankort. He said the force was made up mostly of Russian mercenaries and Malian soldiers.

A Malian security source said the convoy heading to Anefis had fallen into another ambush and that fighting was still under way. The source said the convoy had dozens of vehicles and air cover.

The FLA has claimed control of Anefis, a town about 100 kilometres from Kidal that is important to holding the northern city. Russian paramilitaries from Africa Corps and some Malian soldiers remained in control of a military camp in Anefis, according to the supplied account.

JNIM, an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group, and FLA Tuareg separatists launched coordinated attacks in Mali on Saturday. Those attacks came just over two months after another major offensive in which they captured Kidal and killed Mali's defence minister.

Mali has been ruled by the military since coups in 2020 and 2021. The country has faced a security crisis since 2012.