The official, who requested anonymity, said soldiers had left the northern city of Gao and were on their way to Kidal. The return of Malian troops to Kidal is considered a key component in implementing the 2015 Algiers peace agreement, struck between the government in Bamako and some rebel groups. Both the United Nations peacekeeping mission and French forces in the country support the Malian army's return to Kidal, the officer said. The units returning to the city are so-called "reconstituted" ones, comprised of regulars and former rebels who joined the military after the 2015 peace accord. Other such units are expected to deploy in northern Malian cities such as Menaka, Gao and Timbuktu, after the soldiers reach Kidal.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 10, 2020 16:30 UTC