Mali's army and its Russian mercenary allies surrendered the strategic military camp of Tessalit in the north to armed rebels on Friday, as Tuareg separatists and militants form a unified front to challenge the country's junta. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated separatist group, confirmed to AFP that troops and mercenaries at the "super-camp" had "just surrendered as they did in Kidal," referring to a key northern town captured the previous weekend.
Strategic Importance of Tessalit
Located near the border with Algeria, Tessalit is a strategic base due to its geographical location and features a well-maintained airstrip capable of accommodating helicopters and other large military aircraft. A security source in Gao told AFP that "no clashes took place" and that regular troops had already evacuated when the rebels entered. A local elected official confirmed that the Russians had abandoned their position.
Unified Rebel Front
Militants from the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) are calling for cooperation to bring down the junta that has ruled Mali since 2020. The Tessalit camp hosted a significant number of Malian troops and their Russian allies, along with a substantial quantity of military equipment.
Last weekend's large-scale attacks on key junta strongholds across Mali by separatists and militants marked the largest assault on the country in nearly 15 years. Two days of fierce fighting at various locations, including around the capital, Bamako, resulted in the death of at least 23 people and killed defense minister Sadio Camara, a key junta figure.
