At least four aerial strikes pounded the city of Kidal in northern Mali during the night between Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in significant material damage, according to a local witness who requested anonymity. One of the strikes demolished a residential building near a former market, while another created a deep crater in the expansive courtyard of Kidal’s governorate headquarters—an area recaptured by the National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLA) in late April. The FLA operates in coordination with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), Al-Qaeda’s Sahelian affiliate led by Iyad Ag Ghaly.

“We are targeting specific objectives. We have a clear strategy, and aerial operations will intensify in the coming days,” stated a Malian army officer stationed at the command center in Mopti, central Mali, on Thursday.

Uncertainty grips the strategic city

Kidal, a key northern Malian stronghold, remained unusually quiet on Thursday morning, with minimal vehicular movement reported by the witness. The observer also noted a steady exodus of vehicles from the city during the night.

The nation faces heightened security instability following unprecedented coordinated attacks by JNIM jihadists and the FLA rebellion against strategic positions held by the Bamako junta.

FLA advances across northern Mali

During the recent offensive, the FLA—an independence movement predominantly composed of Tuareg fighters with Arab community involvement—seized control of Kidal, the largest city in northern Mali, after intense clashes. The group asserts territorial claims over Azawad, a vast region in northern Mali encompassing the administrative areas of Kidal, Gao, Ménaka, and Tombouctou.

Tuareg communities have waged decades-long armed struggles against perceived marginalization, with Kidal emerging as a pivotal focal point in their resistance. The FLA has now declared its intention to extend its control over other major northern cities.