Local reporters have said that the separatists Tuareg rebels in the north of the country have defeated government forces in heavy fighting to take absolute control of the town of Kidal and many northern towns.

Kidal is the stronghold of the Tuareg people and similar rebellion by the group in 2012 led to chaos which prompted French forces intervention.

The rebels, officially known as the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) have been fighting for independence from Mali.

Fighting was said to have first broke out on Saturday when Mali’s Prime Minister, Moussa Mara visited the rebels stronghold of Kidal to show support for government forces based there.  

The Malian army were said to have fired rockets on the governor’s compound which was in control by MNLA forces but the rebels overpowered the government forces.

And fighting continued sporadically until Wednesday when the Malian forces begin to pull out from the area.

The rebels have said in the past that they will not recognize the Prime Minister’s authority since the government is not committed to granting them their demands.

A rebel spokesman was quoted as saying that several government troops were killed or captured and that they have taken total control of most northern towns.

“All of Kidal including the Malian Military Camp 1, the regional governor’s office and the Kidal fortress are in our control, several Malian soldiers had been killed, wounded or captured’’, the unnamed rebel spokesman said.

An anonymous diplomat also told the Reuters African Service that several wounded Malian soldiers have been evacuated by the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (MINUSMA) and added that it very embarrassing to the government.

The Malian government said in statement that government forces pulled out of the area because they came under heavy gun fire from the rebels. It further accused al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) of being behind the rebels.

In 2012, a similar Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali triggered a military coup which allowed other militants to seize large areas of the country. Elections were held in 2013 following the French-led military intervention but the country remain somehow unstable.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

Writer’s Email Address: Adamsisska@googlemail.com

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