Mali army claims control over key zones amid jihadist clashes

Malian security forces have declared a decisive shift in momentum, asserting full operational control across multiple conflict zones targeted by both the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA) in the northern regions and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate operating in central and southern Mali.

renewed clashes in the northeast highlight military resilience

According to an official statement from the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), intense fighting resumed on Sunday in Anifif, a strategic location situated roughly 110 kilometers south of Kidal. The clashes followed the arrival of additional personnel and armaments dispatched to reinforce the FLA’s positions in the area.

The FAMA communiqué emphasized that their units engaged in sustained combat throughout the day, demonstrating unwavering resolve and tactical discipline in the face of escalating threats. Commanders reaffirmed their unshakable confidence in the military’s ability to safeguard national sovereignty, protect civilian populations, and dismantle enemy forces across the country.

fighting claims and denials in the northern front

The FLA’s spokesperson, Mohamed Mouloud Ramadan, had earlier asserted to local media that their fighters had regained the upper hand in Anifif following the resumption of hostilities. In a separate statement, Ramadan categorically refuted reports alleging the death of the FLA’s commander, Mbarek Ag Akli, affirming that Akli remained actively involved in leading military operations in northern Mali.