Mali's military battles separatists and jihadists as security crisis deepens

Mali's military conducted strikes on the city of Kidal after the separatist Azawad Liberation Front claimed control, according to France 24. Coordinated attacks by the jihadist group JNIM have intensified, with the group announcing a blockade of roads into the capital Bamako. Separatist fighters are demanding Russian military withdrawal while jihadists expand their territorial reach, raising the stakes in a conflict that has destabilized West Africa for over a decade. The coordinated dual threat from both armed groups threatens Mali's fragile governance and regional stability.