BAMAKO – An Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organization announced Monday that Mali’s military forces are retreating from Tessit, a town in the country’s northern region, according to reports from West Africa.
The terrorist group, which goes by the name Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin or JNIM, issued a statement claiming they are permitting Mali’s soldiers in Tessit to surrender their arms and leave the area without harm.
Neither Mali’s government officials nor military representatives have responded to requests for comment about the claims.
The announcement comes as insurgents continue a coordinated campaign that launched over the weekend with simultaneous strikes near Mali’s capital city and multiple other regions.
On the same day, Africa Corps – a Russian Defense Ministry-controlled paramilitary organization – announced its troops had pulled out of Kidal, another northern Mali town, following intense combat over the weekend.
Since seizing control through military coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s current military leadership under Assimi Goita has strengthened ties with Russia while distancing itself from Western allies.
Goita has remained out of public view and has issued no public comments since Saturday’s coordinated attacks began.
