Mali's military announced Friday that it has broken a rebel blockade around a strategic army base in the north, as the West African country's junta battles a renewed offensive by separatists and militants linked to al-Qaida.
The town of Anéfis, located between the separatist-controlled town of Kidal and the government-held city of Gao, had been targeted by separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) who claimed Thursday to have attacked a convoy of reinforcements. The FLA acknowledged withdrawing from the area Friday after heavy fighting, according to the Malian army.
The army stated that in the past 24 hours, "12 combat vehicles were destroyed and nearly 100 terrorists were neutralized." The military did not provide its own casualty figures for the clashes around Anéfis.
The Malian army reported on social media that a large logistics convoy had arrived Thursday night from Gao to Anéfis. It added that "operations from the air and on the ground allowed" the military to retake the area despite "several ambushes by the terrorist armed groups of the JNIM, the FLA and their affiliates."
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the FLA, said the group decided to withdraw to "better organize ourselves." He also claimed that the militaries of Niger and Burkina Faso assisted Mali's army. Ramadane reported five FLA deaths and about 10 wounded, while claiming "many deaths" among the Malian forces, including Russia's Africa Corps.
The claims from both the Malian army and the separatists could not be independently verified.
Last week, FLA separatists targeted several northern towns, including Gao, and placed the Anéfis military camp under a blockade. The Malian army's first attempt to send a convoy was ambushed last Sunday, according to the FLA.
Mali has a history of insurgencies from militants affiliated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, alongside a separatist rebellion in its northern region. Separatists have long sought an independent state in northern Mali.
In April, the FLA and the regional al-Qaida affiliate JNIM carried out some of the most significant attacks in over a decade, killing Mali's defense minister, Gen. Sadio Camara, in his home and seizing control of several key northern towns. Mali's junta is led by Gen. Assimi Goita.
The security situation has deteriorated across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, with all three countries experiencing increased militant attacks. Juntas in these nations have turned to Russia for support after their military coups, shifting away from Western allies. Reports have also emerged of government forces and Russian fighters being accused of civilian killings of individuals suspected of collaborating with militants.