Tuareg rebels release about 60 Malian soldiers
Tuareg rebels have released about 60 Malian military personnel as part of an exchange for one of their leaders, former Malian army officer Inkane Ag Attaher. Al Jazeera English reports, citing security sources.
According to one Malian security source, about 60 soldiers were taken to Niger on Thursday to be exchanged for Ag Attaher and people linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). JNIM has ties to al-Qaeda. Another source said the deal was directly overseen by the authorities of Niger.
Release of the FLA leader
Inkane Ag Attaher was a prominent figure in the Tuareg-led Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA). He was detained by Nigerian security forces near the border between Niger and Nigeria in 2025. He was accused of organizing drone-use training, coordinating deadly attacks in Mali and serving as an international liaison.
FLA spokesperson Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadan welcomed Ag Attaher’s release in a Facebook post, wishing him courage, strength and peace to continue the struggle. Tuareg rebel representatives also said that several of their fighters had been released from Malian prisons.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Algeria’s mediation
Sources in Mali told Al Jazeera that Algeria helped mediate the release of the military personnel. Mali’s Prime Minister General Abdoulaye Maiga visited Algeria on Monday, seeking to resume high-level talks with the Algerian government after tensions over disagreements on regional security issues.
Malian authorities have publicly ruled out negotiations with groups they call terrorist. At the same time, the prisoner releases indicate that channels of communication may remain open amid the fighting. The FLA and JNIM claimed responsibility for the April 25 attacks on Bamako airport and other facilities. On that day, Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an explosion at his residence in Kati. Both groups also claimed responsibility for attacks on army positions across Mali on July 4.
Mali has been experiencing armed conflict since 2012. The FLA presents itself as a secular nationalist movement seeking independence for the Azawad region, while JNIM is linked to al-Qaeda. According to Al Jazeera, these forces have set aside ideological differences to oppose the Malian government.
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