Malian army re-enters Kidal after Tuareg rebels withdraw

Tuareg rebels have withdrawn from the strategic town of Kidal, allowing Malian troops backed by Russian forces to move in on Tuesday.

• The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) announced a "controlled withdrawal" from Kidal, six months after separatists and JNIM fighters captured the town in April.
• Malian troops re-entered Kidal on Tuesday afternoon without meeting resistance, two Malian officers confirmed; Russian paramilitaries also re-entered, a security source said.
• Mali's military said it launched large-scale air and ground operations around Kidal to "track down and neutralize" armed groups.
• The FLA called the pullout a temporary measure to preserve its capabilities, saying it occurred without direct combat.