Some 30 Malian soldiers killed during Anefis retaking, says army chief

Malian army chief General Jean Elysee Dao announced that approximately 30 soldiers were killed and 60 others wounded during a nearly week-long operation to retake the northern town of Anefis. The town, located about 100km from Kidal, had been captured by Tuareg separatists and an al-Qaeda-linked armed group on July 4. The army reported regaining control of Anefis on Friday. The Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed to have inflicted significant losses on the army and its Russian paramilitary allies during the fighting. Mali has been experiencing a prolonged security, political, and humanitarian crisis, with both the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and the FLA seeking to advance their respective agendas in the country.

Mali's military announced it has broken a rebel blockade around the strategic army base in Anéfis, located in the north of the country. Separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) had attacked a reinforcement convoy, cutting off the base, but later withdrew after heavy fighting. The Malian army reported destroying 12 combat vehicles and neutralizing nearly 100 militants, while the FLA claimed five dead and about 10 wounded. This incident is part of a renewed offensive by separatists and al-Qaida-linked militants against the Malian junta. The security situation in Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has worsened despite increased reliance on Russia for counter-insurgency support.

Russia's Africa Corps claims its forces prevented a coup in Mali over the weekend, inflicting significant losses on rebels and avoiding civilian casualties. The Russian defense ministry stated its troops in Kidal fought for over 24 hours while surrounded, alleging European and Ukrainian mercenary training for the militants. However, local reports suggest the Africa Corps negotiated their withdrawal with Algeria's mediation. Rebel forces reportedly drove the Africa Corps from Kidal and attacked near Bamako, killing Mali's defense minister. The fall of Kidal, previously recaptured with Russian help, is seen as a setback for Moscow's influence in West Africa, with some Malian officials claiming the Russians were betrayed. This comes as Mali faces escalating violence from a rebel alliance and jihadist groups.