BAMAKO: Al Qaeda’s West Africa affiliate said on Monday that Mali’s army was withdrawing from the northern town of Tessit, as the insurgents press an offensive that began with weekend attacks near the capital and across the country.

The announcement came two days after the affiliate known as JNIM and another rebel group claimed responsibility for assaults that, among other targets, hit the main army base outside Bamakoin the south and killed the defence minister.

News of fresh rebel gains will fuel concerns about the stability of the landlocked Sahel country that has battled Islamist insurgents for more than a decade and weathered three coups since 2012.

In Monday’s statement, JNIM - Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin — said it was allowing Malian forces in Tessit to hand over their weapons and withdraw safely.

Earlier on Monday, Afr­ica Corps, a paramilitary group controlled by Russ­ia’s Defence Ministry, said its forces had withdrawn from the town of Kidal, around 375 km north of Tessit, after fierce fighting there at the weekend.

Mali’s military government, led by Assimi Goita, has pursued closer defence cooperation with Russia while spurning Western partners since taking power following coups in 2020 and 2021.

Goita has not been seen in public or made any statements since the attacks on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026