Mali junta says it has seized rebel stronghold of Kidal
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Transcript
00:00 The announcement first came from Colonel Assimi Goita in a message read on state television.
00:06 "A raid was carried out a few days ago in the direction of Kidal
00:12 and heavy losses were inflicted on the armed terrorist groups.
00:16 Today our armed and security forces have taken Kidal."
00:20 Kidal, a city in north-eastern Mali and a stronghold of the Tuareg-dominated rebellion.
00:28 A strategically important location for the Malian armed forces
00:32 from where they were driven out by separatists in 2014.
00:35 The UN mission's withdrawal, pushed out by the junta,
00:39 had triggered a race for control of the territory between the army, the separatists and the jihadists.
00:45 In a press release, the CSP, the alliance of armed rebel groups,
00:49 confirmed that it had left its stronghold.
00:52 A raid is said to have been carried out on Monday night with Russia's help.
00:57 "The Malian army has taken control of Kidal's airport because they came through east of the city.
01:02 Operations to secure the city are underway
01:05 and it is hard to know how they're doing as official communications are now interrupted in Kidal."
01:10 The capture of Kidal could be a significant success for the military junta.
01:16 But for Colonel Goita, while a battle had just been won, the war is far from over.