An Al Qaeda-linked armed group said Monday that Mali’s army is withdrawing from the northern town of Tessit, as insurgents intensify an offensive that has spread across the country in recent days.
The group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), claimed in a statement that it was permitting Malian troops in Tessit to lay down their weapons and withdraw safely. The claim could not be independently verified.
There was no immediate response from Mali’s government or military officials.
The development comes amid a broader escalation in violence, following coordinated attacks over the weekend targeting areas near the capital Bamako as well as multiple locations across the country.
Earlier Monday, Africa Corps — a paramilitary force linked to Russia’s Defence Ministry — said its fighters had withdrawn from the northern city of Kidal after heavy clashes over the weekend, suggesting a wider shift in control across key northern positions.
Mali’s military leadership, headed by transitional president Assimi Goïta, has deepened defence ties with Russia while distancing itself from Western allies since seizing power in coups in 2020 and 2021.
Goïta has not appeared publicly or issued any statement since Saturday’s attacks, raising further questions about the government’s response as security conditions deteriorate.