Tuareg rebels in Mali’s northern region have declared the capture of yet another military base belonging to the Malian army, marking the fifth such conquest in recent weeks. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, the spokesperson for the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), informed Reuters on Wednesday that their fighters had successfully seized control of the Malian army camp in Taoussa after engaging in combat. As of now, there has been no immediate response or statement from the army.
The CMA represents an alliance of rebel factions comprised of Mali’s semi-nomadic Tuareg population, who have long voiced grievances about government neglect and have sought autonomy for their desert homeland known as Azawad. In 2015, the CMA entered into a peace agreement with the previous government and pro-government militias.
However, tensions have rekindled since the military assumed control through two coups in 2020 and 2021, forged alliances with the Russian military contractor Wagner Group, and ousted French forces and U.N. peacekeeping troops from the region.
