Escalating Violence in Mali as Troops Clash with Rebels in the North

The Malian army has begun redeploying troops towards the northeastern rebel stronghold of Kidal, as hostilities in the region have resumed. Kidal is currently controlled by a coalition of predominantly Tuareg groups called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), posing a sovereignty issue for the Malian state. The redeployment decision was made by national security chiefs, and the convoy consists of 119 vehicles. The region of Kidal has been a crossroads for rebel groups since the 2012 insurrection, and despite previous attempts by the Malian army to regain control, it remains in the hands of the CMA. The ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA coincides with a series of recent attacks on the Malian army in northern Mali.