Ahmad 
Fierce fighting has been raging between the armed forces in Mali and separatist rebel groups in the north of the country since last Thursday, which is considered the most violent in months.
Media outlets quoted military sources in the Malian army as saying that clashes broke out last Thursday between the army and separatists in the town of Tinzawaten near the border with Algeria.
The sources indicated that the army then took control of the strategic area of In-Afrak, located 120 km northwest of Tessalit in the Kidal region, but the rebel factions ambushed a military force of the Malian army in Tinzawaten, which resulted in deaths and injuries.
In return, the Malian army announced that a patrol belonging to it in Tinzawaten was attacked two days ago, adding that its forces responded forcefully, inflicting a “heavy loss” on the Azawad militants.
A Malian military source commented: “All I can say is that the armed forces continue to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the Kidal region on Saturday.”
The army also announced the “emergency landing” of a helicopter after it encountered “difficulties,” without any casualties. A spokesman for the Coordination said that the separatists “hit a helicopter” and it crashed.
Armed clashes erupted again on Saturday between the army and separatist rebel groups in northern Mali, where a humanitarian source told AFP that “the clashes resumed in an alley on the Kidal road between the rebels of the Coordination of Azawad Movements and the Malian military.”
Armed separatist groups lost control of several areas in northern Mali at the end of 2023 after an army offensive that culminated in Bamako forces taking control of the city of Kidal, the stronghold of the separatists.
Mali has been suffering from violence since 2012 by groups linked to the jihadist organizations Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State and criminal gangs.
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