Mali army lifts rebel blockade around Anéfis base

Mali’s military announced that it has broken the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) blockade around the strategic Anéfis army base in the north, between the rebel‑held town of Kidal and government‑controlled Gao. The army said air and ground operations enabled a logistics convoy to reach the base, stating that “12 combat vehicles were destroyed and nearly 100 terrorists were neutralized.”

FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane claimed the rebels withdrew after heavy fighting, saying Niger and Burkina Faso’s forces had assisted Mali’s troops and reporting five rebel deaths and about ten wounded. The junta, led by Gen. Assimi Goïta, has been battling a renewed offensive by separatists and al‑Qaida‑linked militants, with Russian Africa Corps mercenaries also involved.

Casualty figures for the Malian side were not released, and the opposing claims could not be independently verified.