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Bamako, Mali
The military junta in Mali is aiming to take over a key United Nations military camp in the rebel stronghold of Kidal, reported AFP citing a senior official. Hostilities with Tuareg rebels in the region have resumed and the UN camp is one of the major prizes
The army has faced a series of attacks in recent weeks in northern Mali. These have coincided with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA. The UN force is handing over its camps to Malian authorities. Three more are due to follow this month. However, the separatists are claiming that these camps should be returned to their control.
The UN mission will vacate the Kidal camp along with two other sites (Ansongo and Mopti) in November, said Madou Diallo, the foreign ministry's director for international organisations in an online video on Monday.
Post this, only three camps should remain (Gao, Timbuktu and the capital Bamako). Handing over these camps would mark the "liquidation" of UN forces in Mali. AFP quoted an official who said that the Kidal camp was to be handed over between November 15 and 30.
Last week, a convoy of dozens of army vehicles left the city of Gao which is 300 kilometres southwest of Kidal. This set of speculation about an offensive against rebel bases in the Kidal region.
The convoy came under attack on Saturday and the army said that the soldiers had taken control of Anefis. It is a town 110 kms south of Kidal.
Almou Ag Mohamed, a spokesperson for the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP), a coalition of armed rebel factions, confirmed to AFP that the army was in Anefis.
After a decade of conflict in the country, an offensive in the rebel bases in Kidal could mark a turning point.
After initially launching a rebellion in 2012, the predominantly Tuareg armed groups signed a peace agreement with the state in 2015, but in August they resumed hostilities.
Attacks against Malian army camps by both the separatist groups and jihadists have increased.
(With inputs from agencies)
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