Mali’s leader says military has seized control of a rebel stronghold in the country’s north

By BABA AHMED
Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s leader says the military has seized control of a Tuareg rebel stronghold in the country’s north. State broadcaster ORTM reported on Tuesday that the army took control of the town of Kidal, which it hasn’t held for nearly a decade. A rebel spokesman based in neighboring Mauritania confirmed the presence of the Malian military in Kidal. Solders from Mali’s army accompanied by mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group have been battling Tuareg fighters over the town following the departure of United Nations peacekeepers two weeks ago. Separatist Tuareg rebels in the north have long sought an independent state they call Azawad. In 2012, they dislodged the Malian military from the town.