Russia's Africa Corps confirmed Monday that its forces had withdrawn from Kidal, a key northern stronghold in Mali, following a weekend of coordinated assaults by Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked jihadists.

The attacks began Saturday with explosions and gunfire across Mali, targeting Bamako, Kati near the capital, Gao, Mopti, Sevare, and Kidal. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), seeking independence for the Tuareg-dominated north, and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed joint operations. In Kati, a suicide car bomb killed Defense Minister Gen. Sadio Camara, his family members, and nearby civilians.

Rebels surrounded Russian and Malian troops at Camp 2 outside Kidal, a city the junta recaptured in November 2023 with Wagner Group support. On Sunday, FLA announced an agreement allowing a safe exit. Africa Corps evacuated wounded personnel and equipment, stating operations would continue elsewhere. Rebels declared Kidal "free" and under their control, with similar withdrawals reported from Tessit.

Casualties included a downed Russian Mi-8 helicopter near Gao, killing the crew, and unspecified Africa Corps losses. Malian and Russian sources claimed over 1,000 attackers killed, while 16 civilians and soldiers were wounded in initial reports.

Mali's military junta, in power since the 2020 coup, expelled French forces in 2023 and relied on Wagner, later restructured as Africa Corps under Russia's Defense Ministry. The group, about 2,000 strong, provides security for resource access but has faced setbacks, including a deadly 2024 ambush.

The assaults, the largest since 2012, exposed junta vulnerabilities despite Russian backing. Bamako imposed curfews and declared mourning for Camara. The Alliance of Sahel States called it a foreign plot. Analysts see a symbolic blow to Moscow's Sahel influence, with rebels eyeing Gao next.