Four air strikes pounded Kidal overnight, leaving visible damage in their wake, according to a local witness who requested anonymity. One strike obliterated a house near a former market square, while another left a deep crater in the expansive courtyard of Kidal’s governorship building. The city had been retaken by the National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLA) on April 25 and 26, in coordination with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Al-Qaeda-affiliated coalition led by Iyad Ag Ghaly.

«We are striking precise targets. Our strategy is clear. Expect intensified airstrikes in the coming days,» declared a Malian army officer at the Mopti command center in central Mali.

Uncertainty grips the region

By Thursday morning, Kidal remained eerily quiet, with minimal vehicle traffic. The witness reported hearing numerous departures throughout the night as residents fled the city.

Mali now faces a critical security vacuum following unprecedented coordinated attacks by JNIM jihadists and the FLA rebellion against strategic positions held by the Bamako junta.

Rebel ambitions in northern Mali

During this offensive, the FLA—an independence-seeking movement dominated by Tuareg fighters but also including Arab communities—seized control of Kidal, the largest city in northern Mali. The group claims sovereignty over the Azawad region, encompassing the administrative areas of Kidal, Gao, Ménaka, and Timbuktu.

The rebellion’s stated goal is to conquer all major northern cities. Tuareg communities have waged decades-long armed struggles against perceived marginalization, particularly centered around the pivotal city of Kidal.