Mali’s government announced Sunday that a military drone strike killed a senior Tuareg rebel commander and other insurgents in the northern town of Tinzaouaten, marking a significant escalation in the renewed conflict following the collapse of a 2015 peace agreement.
Chodi Ag, a mission manager at Mali’s communications ministry, confirmed via Facebook that “several CSP cadres were killed, including the notorious Fahad Ag Almahmoud,” a key figure in the rebel coalition known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for the Defence of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA).
The strike targeted a gathering of Tuareg factions who were meeting to establish a unified political and military structure. A Reuters journalist present in Tinzaouaten, situated on the Algerian border, witnessed the attack.
Almahmoud played a crucial role in coordinating between rebel factions and served as their representative in previous peace negotiations with the government. An unnamed military source described those killed as “terrorist leaders,” though the army has not officially commented on the operation.
The attack comes amid intensifying violence following the July breakdown of the 2015 peace accord between the government and northern separatist groups. Recent months have seen deadly clashes around Tinzaouaten, resulting in casualties among Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries.
The northern rebellion, which began in 2012 led by ethnic Tuareg groups, later evolved into a broader insurgency involving Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked militants. Local doctors and residents report that recent drone strikes in Tinzaouaten have resulted in civilian casualties, including children.
REUTERS
