BAMAKO, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Malian army announced on its X account that it has seized control of the rebel stronghold town of Kidal in the country's north Tuesday morning.
The city was recaptured from the Armed Terrorist Groups (GAT) as part of the mission to secure the region undertaken by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMAa), said the same source.
Calling on the city's residents to stay calm, the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces reassures that "all measures have been taken to ensure their security," said the Malian army.
The army and the state had been virtually absent for years from the town of Kidal, which is controlled by Tuareg rebel armed groups.
The Malian transitional government, established after the May 2021 coup, demanded the withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), claiming that it was unable to stop jihadist raids, particularly in the north of the country.
The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution in June, authorizing the withdrawal before the end of the year. The UN peacekeeping forces have been present in Mali for a decade.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a deep, multifaceted crisis in the form of independence and jihadist insurgencies as well as intercommunity violence, which has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced. ■