Framing the World

Translated by Angela Simoncini

Framing the World is an analysis series offering in-depth insights into the main dynamics of international politics. The series is organized by geographic areas — Asia, the Americas, Africa & MENA, and Europe — and each week features a thematic focus made up of several coordinated contributions. Its aim is to provide clear and accessible perspectives on the key developments shaping the world, through the collaborative work of the editorial team.

This and much more in the latest issue of FtW!

Mali: the government has regained control of Kidal.
On 6 October 2026, the Malian transitional government announced that the army had entered Kidal, a strategically important city in the north-east of the country. It had been occupied by Tuareg separatist and jihadist groups around five months earlier. According to a government spokesperson on state television, the operation was carried out with the support of the Africa Corps, a Russian organization that replaced the Wagner Group in Mali’s military operations.

The Azawad Liberation Front (ALF), a separatist organization linked to the Tuareg minority and based in Kidal, confirmed that the army had entered the city, adding that its fighters had withdrawn before the soldiers arrived to avoid civilian casualties. The withdrawal followed several days of Malian and Russian aerial bombardment.

The army returned to Kidal after several difficult months for government forces and their Russian allies. In late April 2026, the Africa Corps withdrew from the city following a series of coordinated attacks across the country by the ALF and JNIM, a jihadist organization linked to al-Qaeda. Sadio Camara, Mali’s defense minister, was killed during the attacks. In the following months, Russian fighters tried to recapture separatist-controlled areas in the north, with bombardments preceding the entry into Kidal.

For more than ten years, Mali has been embroiled in a conflict involving various groups, including jihadist organizations linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, as well as separatist movements seeking greater autonomy or independence for the north, particularly Azawad. Since 2020, following two military coups in 2020 and 2021, the country has been governed by a council that has gradually strengthened its ties with Moscow, whilst also relying on Russian support to quell the uprisings.

Alice Balan

Mauritania and Malian crisis: the Implications of the Recapture of Kidal on October 6 2026

The recapture of Kidal on 6 October 2026 by the Malian Armed Forces, supported by the Russian Africa Corps, marks a significant step in the evolution of the conflict in northern Mali. The city, a historic stronghold of Tuareg separatism, had returned to the control of the Front de Libération de l'Azawad the previous April. The return of the Malian army, facilitated by the separatists’ announced withdrawal, represents a political and symbolic success for the military government of Bamako; however, it does not guarantee long-term stability in the region.

In this context, Mauritania plays a key role in managing the consequences of the regional conflict. Unlike Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which belong to the Alliance of Sahel States or Confederation of Sahel States (AES), Mauritania has maintained a degree of institutional stability and pursued a pragmatic foreign policy, keeping channels of dialogue open with various regional and international actors. However, its geographical proximity to areas affected by violence is placing increasing pressure on the country’s security and reception systems.

The humanitarian dimension is one of the main manifestations of this interdependence. According to UNHCR data, Mauritania is hosting more than 305,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Mali, concentrated primarily in the southeastern region of Hodh Chargui. The M'berra camp and surrounding areas are at the center of the humanitarian response, while the ongoing hostilities continue to jeopardize the prospects for a safe and voluntary return.

Among the organizations involved in managing the crisis is Action Contre la Faim (ACF), which operates in the area through interventions in the sectors of nutrition, water, hygiene, and sanitation. The organization also helps monitor the needs of displaced populations and host communities, supporting initiatives aimed at improving reception conditions and access to essential services.

The recapture of Kidal does not necessarily imply an improvement in security conditions for civilians. The persistent presence of armed groups and uncertainty over territorial control could fuel new forced displacements toward neighboring countries, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of communities already affected by the crisis.

For Mauritania, the challenge therefore lies in balancing national security and humanitarian protection, ensuring that pressure on resources does not undermine social cohesion. The country’s stability will also depend on the ability of the authorities and international partners to ensure a sustainable response capable of addressing not only the immediate emergency but also the long-term consequences of instability in Mali.

Bianca Mannino

The Withdrawal of the Blue Helmets and the Humanitarian Situation

Unfortunately, this recapture, along with the violence and ongoing armed clashes, is taking place amid a complete absence of international presence and monitoring by the United Nations. MINUSMA, the UN peacekeeping mission present in the region, completed its withdrawal at the end of 2023 following requests from the military junta in power in Bamako.

The decision was made on June 30, 2023, by the Security Council, with consequences that are all too easy to imagine for the civilian population and the outcome of the conflict. This absence of a neutral peacekeeping force between the army and the rebels has led to a severe humanitarian crisis: data from the IOM’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan show that more than 5.1 million people in the north and throughout the country are in need of humanitarian assistance.

The withdrawal of UN forces has further consequences, including a lack of independent evidence and documentation of war crimes and human rights violations on the ground. In particular, there is a severe food crisis, with large areas of northern Mali currently experiencing a very critical nutritional situation and approximately 1.1 million children in the country suffering from acute malnutrition.

Furthermore, according to UNHCR data, the country has approximately 414 internally displaced persons due to the conflict and about 317 refugees and asylum seekers from Niger and Burkina Faso. The situation is exacerbated by the inability of aid workers and international agencies—including UNOCHA—to operate safely due to the blockade imposed on relief efforts and access to humanitarian aid in the Kidal region, leaving civilians caught up in the war without the necessary support.

Anna Pasquetto

Framing The World is a project conceived and created through the collaboration of a team of associates at Mondo Internazionale.

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