Mali breaks rebel blockade at Anéfis base

Mali military says it broke rebel blockade at northern base

15 reported

Mali's military announced on Friday that it has broken a rebel blockade around the strategic northern army base of Anéfis. The base is located between the separatist-controlled town of Kidal and the town of Gao, which is under the military government. Late on Thursday, separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said they attacked a large convoy of reinforcements from the Malian army, their Russian Africa Corps allies and local militias, cutting off the base. On Friday, the FLA acknowledged that they withdrew from the area after heavy fighting. The army stated that in the last 24 hours, “12 combat vehicles were destroyed and nearly 100 terrorists were neutralized,” but did not provide a latest casualty toll for the military. The army said a large logistics convoy of reinforcements arrived the previous night from Gao to Anéfis, and that operations from the air and on the ground allowed the military to retake the area despite several ambushes. The claims from both the army and the separatists could not be independently verified.

What’s reported

Mali's military announced on Friday it broke a rebel blockade around the strategic northern base of Anéfis.

Anéfis is located between the separatist-controlled town of Kidal and the town of Gao, which is under the military government.

Late on Thursday, separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said they attacked a large convoy of reinforcements from the Malian army, their Russian Africa Corps allies and local militias, cutting off the base.

On Friday, the FLA acknowledged they withdrew from the area after heavy fighting.

The army said in the last 24 hours, “12 combat vehicles were destroyed and nearly 100 terrorists were neutralized,” but did not provide a latest casualty toll for the military.

The army said a large logistics convoy of reinforcements arrived the previous night from Gao to Anéfis.

The army stated that operations from the air and on the ground allowed the military to retake the area despite several ambushes by JNIM, the FLA, and their affiliates.

FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said the FLA withdrew to better organize, claimed Niger and Burkina Faso's militaries aided Mali's army, and reported five dead and about 10 wounded on the FLA side.

The army’s and the separatists’ claims could not be independently verified.

Last week, FLA separatists targeted several northern towns, including Gao, and put the Anéfis military camp under a blockade.

The first convoy sent by the Malian army was ambushed last Sunday, according to the FLA.

In April, the FLA and the regional al-Qaida affiliate JNIM launched heavy attacks, killing Mali's defense minister Gen. Sadio Camara in his home and taking control of several key northern towns.

Mali's junta is led by Gen. Assimi Goita.

Along with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have also been battling jihadis; after coups, the juntas turned from Western allies to Russia for help.

The security situation has worsened with a record number of militant attacks, and government forces and Russian fighters have been accused of killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants.