Yemeni government claims gains near Bab el-Mandeb as Houthis hit Saudi airports Kenya confirms first Ebola death, imported from Congo Two killed as about 650 Ukrainian drones target Moscow region Gulf oil flows recover as Iran keeps attacking tankers French bond selloff weighs on euro as Le Pen unveils spending cuts Former BND chief Hanning arrested on suspicion of selling secrets French school protests reach new scale as unions join and Macron calls crisis meeting Drones sink cargo ship in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone as attacks on shipping widen Fighting spreads in Tigray as Ethiopia-Eritrea war risk grows WHO rates plague risk low as Russia denies outbreak AfD takes Saxony-Anhalt parliament presidency with four unexplained extra votes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey activate Mecca defence pact over Houthi attacks Seventh arrest over Fairford plot as US and UK differ on the threat Kremlin threatens retaliation after Lithuania moves to lift nuclear weapons ban Bolsonaro family gains 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that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles draws outrage in California Reflection AI and Mistral unveil new models to compete with Chinese rivals South Korea prepares response to force North Korean apology over DMZ blast DeepSeek to raise at least $12bn in Tencent-backed round EU Commission proposes 15-year probation and fewer vetoes for new members Israel puts army on alert and threatens Gaza ahead of October 7 anniversary Gaza ceasefire a year on: Trump plan stalled, UN chief says truce falls short France test-fires new M51.3 nuclear missile UK threatens to expel Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem consulate closes Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for neutrino work US envoy meets Sudan army chief in Egypt in bid to end the war Japan's 10-year yield tops 3% as fiscal fears grow UK weighs tariffs on Chinese EVs Kosovo deadlock deepens as protests over Specialist Chambers law turn violent Pakistan PM invites Imran Khan's party to talks, urges end to march Google ordered to halt Finland data centre work India-US trade talks stall again Disney and FCC dispute over broadcast licences moves to court Yemeni government claims gains near Bab el-Mandeb as Houthis hit Saudi airports Kenya confirms first Ebola death, imported from Congo Two killed as about 650 Ukrainian drones target Moscow region Gulf oil flows recover as Iran keeps attacking tankers French bond selloff weighs on euro as Le Pen unveils spending cuts Former BND chief Hanning arrested on suspicion of selling secrets French school protests reach new scale as unions join and Macron calls crisis meeting Drones sink cargo ship in Bulgaria's Black Sea zone as attacks on shipping widen Fighting spreads in Tigray as Ethiopia-Eritrea war risk grows WHO rates plague risk low as Russia denies outbreak AfD takes Saxony-Anhalt parliament presidency with four unexplained extra votes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey activate Mecca defence pact over Houthi attacks Seventh arrest over Fairford plot as US and UK differ on the threat Kremlin threatens retaliation after Lithuania moves to lift nuclear weapons ban Bolsonaro family gains strength as Lula retools for Brazil runoff Opposition leaders briefly detained at march on Indian Election Commission Zelensky warns of massive Russian attack as strikes hit Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv Germany and France call for EU tool to close market to China, Beijing objects US Treasury yields ease from 2002 highs as oil dips South Korea probes AI use in bank hacks after data exposed at seven firms Mali army retakes Kidal as Tuareg rebels withdraw New York declares disaster emergency as US measles cases near 3,900 Floods in Dakar kill residents Spain re-approves housing decrees and lifts Puigdemont warrant as campaign begins Paramount completes $111bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery Trump approves firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan S&P 500 hits record high as AI chip stocks rally Separatist Parti Québécois wins Quebec election, promises independence referendum OpenAI apologises to Australian parliament over agent access to government sites Trump's remark that Iran could 'take out' Los Angeles draws outrage in California Reflection AI and Mistral unveil new models to compete with Chinese rivals South Korea prepares response to force North Korean apology over DMZ blast DeepSeek to raise at least $12bn in Tencent-backed round EU Commission proposes 15-year probation and fewer vetoes for new members Israel puts army on alert and threatens Gaza ahead of October 7 anniversary Gaza ceasefire a year on: Trump plan stalled, UN chief says truce falls short France test-fires new M51.3 nuclear missile UK threatens to expel Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem consulate closes Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for neutrino work US envoy meets Sudan army chief in Egypt in bid to end the war Japan's 10-year yield tops 3% as fiscal fears grow UK weighs tariffs on Chinese EVs Kosovo deadlock deepens as protests over Specialist Chambers law turn violent Pakistan PM invites Imran Khan's party to talks, urges end to march Google ordered to halt Finland data centre work India-US trade talks stall again Disney and FCC dispute over broadcast licences moves to court

Symbolic image: Mali army retakes Kidal as Tuareg rebels withdraw

Symbolic image

Mali army retakes Kidal as Tuareg rebels withdraw

3 sources

Malian troops backed by Russia's Africa Corps entered Kidal on Tuesday after Tuareg rebels pulled out. The rebels call the withdrawal temporary.

The army had announced large-scale air and ground operations around Kidal on Tuesday, 6 October. An officer told AFP that a convoy from Anefis entered the city shortly before 13:00 without resistance, after earlier bombing of rebel positions. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said it had carried out a "strategic and controlled withdrawal" to protect civilians from what it called disproportionate air attacks by Africa Corps, and said no fighting took place. Mali's transitional government said its troops had "consolidated their positions" with Russian support. The FLA and the al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM had taken the city on 25 April.

A largely empty city

According to several sources cited by AFP, Kidal is now largely emptied of its residents.

Symbolic gain after setbacks

The recapture follows a string of reverses, including the deaths of 100 soldiers at the Dioura camp on 10 September, according to Le Monde. Beverly Ochieng of Control Risks told Reuters it lifts army morale but is largely symbolic rather than decisive.