Separatist fighters annihilate a Russian relief column as the 2nd Mali offensive begins

The Tuareg separatists have just launched a second offensive in Mali against the Russian Africa Corps and Malian government forces. Very quickly, they completely surrounded and besieged the Anefis military base in the Kidal region, leaving the Russian Africa Corps and Malian government forces stationed there trapped.

To rescue the besieged troops, the Russian Africa Corps advanced toward Anefis with a convoy of armored vehicles and a Mi-twenty-four attack helicopter. However, after reaching the Tabrichat area, approximately fifty-five kilometers from the base, Tuareg fighters ambushed the entire Russian convoy. As a result, the vehicles in the Russian convoy were destroyed, and the surviving Russian personnel were captured. In addition, the attack helicopter escorting the Russian convoy was shot down, resulting in its complete destruction, with all crew members aboard killed in action.

The attack on the Russian base and convoy was part of a larger coordinated operation. On the same day, the group launched simultaneous surprise attacks targeting multiple bases of the Russian Africa Corps and Malian government forces in Anefis, Gao, Aguelhok, and Sevare across northern and central Mali. In addition, the Tuareg separatist group carried out a major attack on the Kenierobe prison located south of the capital Bamako. The footage shows prison authority vehicles engulfed in flames across the compound, while Tuareg fighters rush around and celebrate their victory. According to sources affiliated with the group, they successfully managed to free a large number of comrades from the prison, which reportedly are joining their ranks en masse.

According to local reports from Mali, the Tuareg separatist group which is officially known as the FLA, has currently managed to take control of the city of Aguelhok. In addition, the strategically important Anefis area, where the ambushed Russian relief convoy was initially sent to, has also been captured. Sources associated with the FLA claim that dozens of Malian Armed Forces soldiers stationed here have been captured, and that Africa Corps members have surrendered. Russian diplomats have already begun negotiations for a humanitarian corridor to safely evacuate the besieged Russian troops in Mali. However, FLA sources claim that the Russian Africa Corps forces stationed in Aguelhok, Anefis, and Gao, which initially held out against the renewed offensive, have also attempted to negotiate a conditional withdrawal from their positions. Notably, during the first Tuareg offensive in April, a similar situation occurred when Russians were ultimately forced to withdraw its forces through brokered agreements with the FLA, with numerous videos showing them fleeing while their Junta allies are forced to stay behind.

Meanwhile, as Russian forces have demonstrated a pattern of abruptly abandoning their allies and withdrawing when coming under sustained pressure, many Malian soldiers deployed on the front lines are surrendering to Tuareg fighters, with numerous pieces of video evidence confirming the collapse. This continuing wave of surrenders not only highlights the weakness of the junta’s forces but also raises new doubts about their ability to maintain control over northern Mali.

Mali’s Tuareg rebel group has notably capitalized on the success of its first offensive to strengthen its position in the ongoing second offenisve. During the fighting in April, the Russian and Malian government forces failed to destroy much of the military equipment they had been using while retreating, with the rebel groups managing to capture a large number of Russian BTR armored personnel carriers, military trucks, jeeps, and various types of weapons and ammunition.

In addition, the rebel group has even deployed Bayraktar drones captured from the Malian government forces earlier this year. Furthermore, Tuareg forces have increasingly employed fiber optic FPV drones, which are immune to electronic jamming due to them being controlled through a physical cable the size of a fishing line.

On the other hand, Russia’s earlier redeployments of Ukraine war veterans to Mali has reared its head, with video evidence being shared of Africa corps FPV drones striking Tuareg forces during the offensive. The presence of these highly experienced operators has significantly enhanced the Russian capabilities in Mali; posing a real threat to the Tuareg alliance, while simultaneously underscoring how the pressure on Russia abroad means a weakening of their efforts in Ukraine, as these soldiers have been redeployed directly from the frontlines.

Overall, the second Tuareg campaign indicates a significant shift in the balance of power on the battlefield in Mali. The coordinated attacks, advances into strategically important areas, and successful ambushes against Russian supply convoys demonstrate that the FLA has officially moved beyond isolated guerrilla attacks and developed a real capability to seize and hold larger territories. As the offensive is ongoing, the surprise attacks by the Tuareg rebel group are gradually spreading to a wider range of areas, including Konna, Kouakourou, and Bamba. If this situation continues, the war could soon break out completely over the entire country, making the situation even more severe for Russian and Malian forces.