Fighting resumed Sunday (12 November) between Mali’s armed forces and Tuareg separatist rebel groups in the country’s northern region, after the soldiers reportedly closed in on the strategic town of Kidal. Malian army’s clashes with with Tuareg separatist and rebel groups could signal the start of fighting for the strategically important northern crossroads. The Kidal desert area is a key site on the road to Algeria and a historic hotbed of insurrection. Military, political and rebel sources all reported the clashes, but details could not be confirmed independently in the remote region. But residents in the area have been braced for a confrontation since the Tuareg rebellion took up arms again in August.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 13, 2023 16:02 UTC