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Conflict coverage · Central Sahel

April 2026 offensive — Kidal falls, the defence minister is killed

25 Apr – May 2026Key eventEssentialKidal · Kati · nationwide

MilitaryTerritorial changeLeadership changeNorthern Mali / Azawad

The FLA and JNIM launch the war's largest coordinated offensive since 2012, reported as the first time the two openly coordinated operations: the FLA takes Kidal as government and Russian forces withdraw from the far north, reportedly under negotiated terms, and a car bombing at Kati kills Defence Minister Sadio Camara. The withdrawals extend well beyond Kidal — Africa Corps is reported to have left Aguelhok and Tessalit on 27 April, Malian troops to have left Tessit in the Gao region, and Ber in the Tombouctou region to have been given up under negotiation. IS-Sahel joins on 28 April, occupies the vacated Labbezanga border post and briefly enters Ménaka town before withdrawing under reported Russian pressure. JNIM reimposes a full blockade of Bamako on 28 April, claims wide gains around Mopti, and reportedly follows with checkpoints on the capital's approaches.

Why it mattersThe offensive reversed the junta's signature achievement, demonstrated FLA–JNIM operational coordination at national scale, and reached the government's inner circle. It did not settle control everywhere it touched — but it redrew the map of the possible. The withdrawals are the part that lasted: positions across three northern regions were given up inside three days, several of them reportedly by negotiation rather than in battle, and none has been retaken. Two of the three gains that were seized rather than vacated — Labbezanga and Ménaka — were taken from ground already abandoned or given up again within days, which is the distinction between reach and control this module keeps insisting on.
Confidence: ModerateSources: Al Jazeera English↗ · ACLED conflict data & analysis↗ · Africa Defense Forum (ADF)↗ · Established international media reporting · Armed-group statements (JNIM, FLA, IS-Sahel and others)MethodologyCorrections

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