The former Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali denounced as a "provocation", Wednesday, April 5, the overflight of the strategic city of Kidal, under its control, and its surroundings carried out according to it by planes of the national army .
This raised tone took place the day before a symbolic date: the anniversary of the unilateral proclamation of independence by one of the main Tuareg groups, on April 6, 2012. This proclamation followed the uprising of the separatists, joined by the Salafists, and the capture of the big cities of the north, including Kidal.
The separatists have since signed a peace agreement with the Malian government in 2015, while jihadist groups continued the fight against the state and the country sank into a deep security crisis. The 2015 peace agreement is itself in bad shape today, raising fears of a resumption of hostilities between the former rebels and the Malian army.
Call for "Utmost Restraint"
The Coordination des Mouvements de l'Azawad (CMA), the main alliance of former rebels in the north, accused Malian army fighter jets of "flying at deliberately provocative altitudes over its positions at Ber, Amassine, Anafis and Kidal in the midst of tensions linked to the blockage of the peace process". The CMA speaks in a press release of "patent violation of the ceasefire of May 23, 2014" and "serious provocation carried out under the eyes of the international community, guarantor of the security arrangements and the peace agreement". The Malian authorities did not react to these remarks on Wednesday.
The United Nations mission in Mali (Minusma) said on Wednesday evening that it was "concerned" by the rise in tensions between the signatory parties to the 2015 peace agreement. It assured that it had taken steps to relaunch the process of implementation of the said agreement and called on the various parties to "maximum restraint" and their cooperation.
Large swathes of the north are under the control of the CMA. This insubordination to central authority is a major source of irritation for the ruling junta. It has made sovereignty its mantra since it took over the country by force in 2020, broke the alliance with France and its partners against jihadism and turned militarily and politically to Russia. .
