Malian and Russian forces reclaim strategic northern town
The strategic northern town of Anefis, Mali has been reclaimed by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and Russia’s Africa Corps after more than a week of fighting with armed groups, the West African nation’s military has said.
In a statement on Saturday, FAMa said its force and partners had taken “total control” of the town and were consolidating their positions through clearing operations targeting the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), and affiliated groups.
The military said a major logistics convoy from Gao entered Anefis on the night of July 9 after air and ground operations secured the route despite ambushes and kamikaze-drone attacks. It said 15 airstrikes had destroyed 12 combat vehicles and killed nearly 100 fighters across Anefis, Tabrichat, and Koulebala within 24 hours.
A subsequent statement said five more fighters had been “neutralized” and a combat vehicle destroyed during operations on July 10 and 11.
Africa Corps also published footage and photographs on its Telegram channel on Monday, showing what it described as a destroyed terrorist pickup truck mounted with a ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun near Anefis.
Earlier on Saturday, FLA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said the group’s fighters were in control of most positions in Anefis and had imposed a five-day blockade on Malian and Russian forces. The statement acknowledged that the group had lost fighters and vehicles but did not provide figures.
Mali has battled a jihadist insurgency since 2012, a crisis that has spilled into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. The three military-led states have severed defense ties with France, expelled French troops, and repeatedly accused Paris of sponsoring terrorism in the Sahel. They have since turned to Russia for security support.
Africa Corps, a Russian Defense Ministry unit which has been deployed in Mali since late 2024, provides training and combat support to national forces under a security partnership with Bamako.
The latest clashes began on July 4, when FLA fighters launched coordinated attacks on positions in Anefis, Aguelhoc, Gao, Sevare, and Kenioroba. FAMa said Malian and Africa Corps forces repelled the assaults and killed at least 26 militants.
In a separate statement on Sunday, the military said several fighters and armed vehicles had been detected near Aguelhoc and targeted with precision airstrikes.
