2nd Battle of Kidal
Second Battle of Kidal | |||||||
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Part of the Internal conflict in Azawad | |||||||
House of craftsmen in Kidal | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
1,500[1] | unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
40 killed 50 wounded 70 captured 50 vehicles captured 12 armoured vehicles captured (According to the MNLA)[2] |
2 killed 10 wounded (According to the MNLA)[2] |
Since the foreign intervention in Mali, Kidal was retaken by French, Malian, and Chadian troops. On 17 May 2014, Moussa Mara, the Malian prime minister came to visit Kidal.[3]
The battle[]
Prime Minister's visit and hostage-taking[]
This section needs to be updated.(December 2015) |
On the 17th May, in Kidal, the Prime Minister convoy's was attacked in the streets of the city.[3] As a result, the Prime Minister condemned the violence as “...a declaration of war” and promised an “...appropriate response."[4]
On the 18th of May, 1500 Malian soldiers arrived in the city following the capture of areas of the governorate by the MNLA.[1] During the capture of this government building, the MNLA captured around 30 officials[5] but they were released soon after.
Malian army offensive[]
On the 21st May, the Malian army launched an offensive to retake the city. The fighting lasted five hours after the military camp number 1 was captured by the MNLA. After the fighting, the Malian soldiers fled towards Gao, others fled to the military camp number 2, held by the French troops and Minusma.[6] 50 Malian soldiers were killed and 40 wounded in the fighting.[7]
According to MNLA, they seized "...50 brand new 4 x 4 vehicles," 12 armored vehicles and tons of ammunition and weapons.[8]
References[]
- ^ a b "Mali : libération de la trentaine d'otages à Kidal". Le Monde.fr. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Mali : l'armée subit de lourdes pertes face au MNLA". Le Point Afrique. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ a b RFI (21 May 2014). "Moussa Mara à Kidal: retour sur une visite mouvementée". RFI. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ The war is far from over: The humiliation of Mali’s army and government is a rude reminder that the wider region is still a hive of instability, economist.com.
- ^ "Mali :". leparisien.fr. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ RFI (21 May 2014). "Mali: Kidal est aux mains des groupes armés". RFI. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ Mali says 50 soldiers killed in Kidal fighting
- ^ "Mali : l'armée subit une cuisante défaite à Kidal". Le Point Afrique. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- 2014 in Mali
- Conflicts in 2014
- Battles involving Mali
- Mali War
- Battles post-1945
- May 2014 events in Africa