Mali: Kidal under tension after overflight of an army plane

Aerial view of the city of Kidal, August 2022 (illustration photo). AFP - SOULEYMANE AG ANARA

Text by: David Baché

2 min

In Mali, a Malian army plane flew over the northern city of Kidal on Wednesday afternoon, April 5. The former pro-independence rebels of the CMA, signatories of the 2015 peace agreement, and of which Kidal is the stronghold, carried out warning shots. Enough to cause strong tension on the eve of the 11th anniversary of the proclamation of independence of Azawad.

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It is about 14 p.m. when the Malian army's fighter jet begins its low-altitude rotations over Kidal. No strikes, but the former rebels of the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) respond with warning shots.

Similar overflights also took place at Ber, Anefif and Amassine. "This is a hostile act," says a CMA official, "since these planes overflew by surprise areas under the control of the CMA.

In the memory of several Kidal-based sources, a Malian military plane had not flown over Kidal in this way – some initially believed it was an attack – since 2012, the year in which the independence rebellion broke out.

'Serious provocation'

Since then, there has been the 2014 ceasefire and the 2015 peace agreement, but tension is currently at its highest between the signatory armed groups and the Malian transitional authorities, who have not spoken for months and blame each other for the blockages in the implementation of the peace agreement.

Many fear a resumption of hostilities, which the Algerian mediator is trying to avoid.

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, the CMA denounced a "violation" of the ceasefire, a "serious provocation", and "declines any responsibility and consequences resulting from such actions".

Eleventh anniversary

Several CMA executives contacted by RFI believe that it is also an intimidation maneuver on the eve of the eleventh anniversary, this Thursday, of the proclamation of independence of Azawad. A rally is planned in Kidal on this occasion at 13 p.m. "They tried to intimidate people not to participate," says a CMA official, "but it will not work.

The celebration of the anniversary of Azawad's proclamation of independence in 2012, despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2015, is perceived every year as a provocation in Bamako.

'No harmful action'

Asked by RFI, the Malian army and the Malian Ministry of Defense did not respond.

Earlier this week, Malian army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Dembele said, in response to rumours on social media, that "no harmful action would be taken against Kidal", that relations between the army and the signatory armed groups were well within the framework of the peace agreement, and that the army was only targeting terrorist groups.

These remarks are in line with the official position of the Malian transitional government.

► Read also Mali: the armed groups of the north oppose the draft Constitution

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