The Malian army announced the implementation of “precise air and ground strikes” against sites of what it described as “armed terrorist groups” in the town of Tinzaouatene and its surrounding areas in Kidal state, the far northeast of the country, near the border with Algeria.
The army's movements and strikes in Tinzaouaten come amid speculation that a broader military operation to reclaim the region is imminent, more than two years after a failed attempt led by the Malian army with the support of the Russian Wagner Group.
The Malian army said, on Monday, in a statement issued by the General Staff of the Armed Forces, that the operations come within the framework of the “Dogokoloko” operation to secure and permanently monitor the national territory, which was launched by the Malian army in April 2025, and its goal is to regain control over the entire territory, and it relies on reconnaissance and intelligence information to carry out air strikes, including drones, and ground strikes on gathering sites, fuel stores, vehicles, and motorcycles.
The provisional toll reported by the Malian army stated that a number of militants were killed and about ten SUVs, a truck, several motorcycles and other military equipment were destroyed. While he stressed the continuation of “reconnaissance and combing operations” to evaluate the results of the strikes and “eliminate any threat.”
Local reports stated that the strikes, which were carried out by drones, also affected locations in Alkit and northeast of Anvis, as well as Koutiala, Djennet, and Kidal, data that the official statement did not include in detail.
On the other hand, the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (Monday) denied any ground advance by the Malian army or the Russian “African Legion” towards the city of Kidal, the historical stronghold of the Tuareg rebels, the capital of northern Mali.
The spokesman for the Front for the Liberation of Azawad, Mohamed Mouloud Ramadane, said that the military presence of the Malian army and Russian forces is limited to air strikes with drones, while the Front spoke of damage to civilian infrastructure without issuing a confirmed independent tally.
But field movements monitored by media reports indicate more than raids. Military reinforcements from the Malian army arrived at the last two camps still under its control in the Kidal region: more than 200 vehicles arrived in Anves (Saturday), and nearly 80 vehicles arrived in Aguelhok (Sunday), which included Malian soldiers and members of the Russian “African Legion” and allied Tuareg groups, such as the “Movement for the Rescue of Azawad” and the “Group of Tuareg Imagad and Allies.”
The army statement did not explicitly refer to these reinforcements. The association of raids with hordes is widely interpreted as a possible precursor to an attempt to retake Kidal.
Kidal carries a special symbolism in the Malian conflict, as the city fell in April 2026 to the Front for the Liberation of Azawad, after unprecedented coordinated attacks that targeted Bamako and other cities, and claimed the life of Defense Minister Sadio Camara. Then, about 400 members of the African Legion withdrew from the city under an agreement with the Front, in a symbolic setback for the army and its Russian ally.
The army had regained Kidal in November 2023 with the support of Wagner, and the authorities at the time presented the restoration of Kidal as a return to state authority, and indeed Kidal is a symbol of control over northern Mali.
As for Tinzaouatene, which is close to the Algerian border, which made it a crossing point for trade, smuggling, and displacement, and a historical haven for rebels, and in July 2024, a convoy of the Malian army and Wagner fighters moved to take control of the town, but fierce battles took place near the town that ended with the army losing, and the Wagner group suffered one of its biggest defeats in Mali, losing dozens of its fighters.
On Monday, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the Air Force to open a “comprehensive investigation” into the causes of the crash of an ATR-42 military plane in Ondo State, southwest of the country, which was carrying 32 people. Three days of national mourning were declared, in one of the bloodiest military aviation accidents in Nigeria in recent years.
His advisor for media and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement: “The Chief of Staff of the Air Force informed me of the incident, and I directed the Air Force to immediately begin a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent a recurrence of what happened.”
“This is a painful moment for our armed forces and the entire nation,” Tinubu said. Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. “Their sacrifices will never be forgotten.” The president offered his condolences to the families of the “twenty-five passengers and seven crew members.”
The statement did not include a clear death toll, but several media outlets considered it confirmation of the death of all those on board the plane. He praised the Air Force “immediately” activating search and rescue operations, and the “rapid response” of the first rescue teams and the Ondo government, stressing “our administration’s continued support” for the Air Force “as it continues its vital role in securing our country.”
Meanwhile, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said that air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane, at about 9:13 a.m., during a regular flight from Benin City, the capital of Edo State, to Lagos. The wreckage was found in a swampy area off the naval base in Igbokuda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government.
The minister explained that regulating military aircraft “falls entirely outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation,” pledging to provide “full cooperation and assistance.” The model is a plane with two turbofan engines, and can accommodate between 30 and 50 passengers, according to the manufacturer.
Spokesman for the Defense Staff Command, Major General Ismail Uba, said on Tuesday that the plane was carrying soldiers and some of their family members. The authorities announced that the names of the victims would be published after their families were notified.
It was reported that the Air Force published the names of 25 people, including five crew members and 20 passengers, without explaining the difference from the number 32 announced by the president and the minister.
Nigerian newspapers quoted a local traditional leader that the plane crashed into a swamp in the rain far from the town, and that no survivors were found. Residents said they saw body parts, but were unable to approach due to the mud.
The traditional leader said: “We thank God first that the incident did not occur inside the town; Otherwise, the human losses would have been very heavy,” he said, noting that the plane did not catch fire, perhaps because a large part of it sank into the water. He continued: “We cannot accurately describe the situation currently, but based on what we have gathered so far, there was no survivor.”
A resident named Akintan Tolowalasi said that residents rushed to the site and saw human remains, but they were unable to help because the plane fell into the swamp. He indicated that naval personnel arrived at approximately 10:00 am.
Another resident, Abel Bamidele, said the crash occurred during the morning rain after a loud bang was heard. Some residents who can swim tried to search for survivors, but they did not find anyone.
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor Loki Idatewa ordered emergency agencies and the Ministry of Health to provide logistical and human support, and to cordon off the crash site, while the Director of Public Relations and Media of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Force Brigadier General Ehemen Igudami, confirmed that the rescue operation was being conducted in coordination with the relevant authorities and emergency response agencies. He said: “The Nigerian Air Force launched an immediate search and rescue operation following the accident.”
The accident revived controversy over the safety of the military fleet in Nigeria. According to a review by the local newspaper The Guardian, 16 crashes of Nigerian military aircraft have been recorded since 2016, claiming the lives of at least 40 people, including the crash of a King Air 350 in Kaduna in 2021, in which the then Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others were killed.
The Civil Society Advocacy Center called on the legislature to consider “the safety of pilots and passengers and the reliability of aircraft,” amid concerns about the obsolescence of some of them. The National Safety Incident Investigation Office announced that it is awaiting an official invitation from the Air Force to participate in the investigation. Because, according to international practice, investigation into military incidents falls upon the military authority.
