Tuareg separatists release Malian soldiers

Tuareg separatists in Mali released about 20 Malian soldiers on Sunday, according to security sources and an official close to the ruling military council in Bamako.

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22 Malian military personnel

The Tuareg-majority "Front de Libération de l'Azawad" (FLA) announced the release of what it described as "prisoners of war" from the Malian army on Facebook, without specifying an exact number. A source close to the military council stated that some soldiers were captured during recent clashes, while others had been held for "more than three years" amid ongoing confrontations with the FLA and the Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.

In late April, FLA and JNIM fighters launched coordinated attacks on military and strategic sites in several towns, some near the capital Bamako. These assaults resulted in the death of Defense Minister General Sadio Camara and the capture of several soldiers. In early July, jihadists and their Tuareg separatist allies initiated new attacks across Mali, targeting towns, military posts, and a prison, leading to the capture of more Malian soldiers, according to propaganda recordings released by the coalition.

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more than three years

Security sources reported that "22 Malian military personnel" were freed on Sunday morning, while a source close to the military council estimated the number at around 20. The security source added that the release was made "in exchange for the release of at least eight FLA fighters." The FLA spokesperson, Tay Ag Mohamed, stated that the operation took place in exchange for "detained civilians" held by Malian authorities, some of whom had been detained for years.

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prisoners of war

This latest release follows the freeing of 82 Malian soldiers on August 13, who had been held since April by jihadists and their Tuareg separatist allies. The FLA subsequently announced the release of six wounded Malian soldiers on August 16.

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detained civilians