Mali says 82 soldiers freed after captivity by armed groups in the north
Mali's army says 82 soldiers who had been held by armed groups in the country's north have been released into government custody. The announcement was made on Thursday in a statement aired on state television. The army said the soldiers were now safe and under the care of the authorities.
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According to the statement, the men had been held hostage by fighters linked to al-Qaeda and a separatist rebel group since attacks in April. The army said the release was the result of a process that began immediately after their capture. The Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front said separately that it had released about 80 Malian soldiers for strictly humanitarian reasons.
The two accounts differ on the number of soldiers involved and on how long some of them had been held. A spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front said some captives had been detained since 2023 and that about 118 others remained in captivity. A source in Mali's foreign ministry said the release was mediated by Algeria.
The development comes against the backdrop of Mali's long-running conflict, which began in 2012 after a Tuareg separatist rebellion in the north evolved into wider armed campaigns by groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The military has ruled Mali since a 2021 coup and has pledged to restore order and territorial unity. In recent years, armed groups have expanded their reach as French forces and United Nations peacekeepers withdrew and Mali turned to Russian paramilitary support for defence.
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The army linked the captives to attacks claimed by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin and the Azawad Liberation Front on 25 April, when targets in Bamako and elsewhere were struck. The groups also claimed attacks on army positions across Mali on 4 July. The mention of Defence Minister Sadio Camara in the supplied material reflects the scale of the violence described, although the row does not provide a separate official casualty count for the latest release.
What remains unclear is the exact number of soldiers freed, how many were held by each group, and whether the release will lead to further negotiations. It is also not clear whether the remaining captives mentioned by the Azawad Liberation Front will be included in any future exchange or mediation effort. The next developments to watch are any confirmation from Malian authorities, further details on Algeria's role, and whether the armed groups issue additional statements.
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