Mali army says over 200 militants killed in Anéfis amid intensified fighting

On July 7‑8 2026 the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), assisted by Russia’s Africa Corps, carried out coordinated aerial and ground operations around the town of Anéfis in the Kidal region. The military announced that more than 200 militants from the JNIM jihadist group and the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA) were neutralised, five armored vehicles, about 20 pickup trucks and roughly 100 motorcycles were destroyed, and several logistical bases were razed.

Anéfis, a small settlement of fewer than 8 000 people, sits on the main road to the strategic city of Kidal. Control of the camp there is seen as a key “lock” for any further offensive toward Kidal, with both the Malian army and its Russian partners and the rebel‑jihadist forces vying for it. While the rebels claim to have captured the town, the Malian command reiterated its confidence in defending the national territory.

The fighting spread to other locations, including Gao, Aguelhoc, Sévaré, Konna, and the prison at Kéniéroba, but the most intense clashes remained centred on Anéfis, where the camp was under siege and subjected to artillery, drone strikes and helicopter operations.