Latest Release Adds to Steady Flow of Freed Prisoners
Tuareg separatist rebels freed 22 Malian government troops on Sunday, some held for more than three years, according to security and junta sources. The release adds to a steady flow of prisoners let go in recent weeks. A security source said 22 soldiers went free in the latest exchange, while a junta source confirmed that about 20 soldiers were involved. Some of the freed troops had been captured recently, while others had been held for more than three years.
The Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) said in a social media post that troops had been freed but did not give a number. At least eight FLA fighters were freed in exchange for the troops, the security source said. FLA spokesman Attaye Ag Mohamed said that civilian detainees held in junta prisons, some for more than five years, had been freed under the deal. Another FLA spokesman, Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadane, told AFP that eight civilians were released in exchange for the soldiers.
Recent Releases Include Russian Mercenaries
The releases follow several significant events in recent weeks. On August 13, the army announced that 82 soldiers held by Tuareg fighters since April battles had been freed. Three days later, six wounded troops were handed over. On Thursday, two former Wagner Russian paramilitaries captured two years ago were released, according to sources who spoke to AFP. The Wagner fighters were captured in July 2024 during fighting in Tinzaouatene, near the Algerian border. Africa Corps, the successor to Wagner, confirmed the release of the Russian nationals.
The releases come amid a longstanding conflict. Mali has been battling jihadist and separatist insurgents for more than a decade. The military seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, claiming the overthrow of civilian rule was necessary to end violence.
Exchange Involving Rebel Leader Reported
Separately, security sources reported that Tuareg rebels freed about 60 Malian soldiers in exchange for one of their own leaders, Inkinane Ag Attaher. Ag Attaher, a former Malian army officer turned defector, was a prominent figure in the FLA when he was arrested by Nigerian security forces near the Niger-Nigeria border in 2025. He was accused of orchestrating drone training, coordinating deadly attacks in Mali, and acting as an international liaison.
A Malian security source told AFP that around 60 soldiers were transported to Niger to be exchanged for Ag Attaher and individuals allegedly linked to JNIM, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group. The agreement was directly overseen by Niger's government, a second security source said. Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadane, an FLA spokesman, welcomed Ag Attaher's release in a Facebook post, sending him wishes of courage, strength, and serenity for the continuation of the struggle. However, figures for this particular exchange were not consistent across all reports.
The Tuareg rebels said some of their own men held in Malian prisons were also freed. The releases are part of a series of prisoner releases in northern Mali, involving al-Qaeda-linked fighters and Tuareg rebels.
Diplomatic Efforts and Conflict Background
Mali's prime minister, General Abdoulaye Maiga, visited Algiers on Monday in a bid to re-establish high-level talks between the sides after tensions over regional security. Sources in Mali have told Al Jazeera that Algeria has been helping to mediate the release of soldiers.
Bamako has publicly ruled out talks with groups it calls terrorists, but the releases suggest communication channels remain open. The conflict dates back to 2012, when a Tuareg separatist rebellion gave way to armed campaigns by groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL. JNIM and FLA claimed responsibility for attacks on April 25 targeting Bamako's airport and other locations; that day, Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in a bombing in Kati. The two groups also claimed responsibility for attacks on army positions across Mali on July 4.
Chief of General Staff Elisee Jean Dao issued a warning to those fighting against the Malian army, saying, "Wherever the enemy is, we will go after them and defeat them, until they lay down their weapons. For those who are Malians, our country has a peace process that allows them to come back. So I want to make that appeal again. It is not too late. The door is still open."
JNIM has gained strength since the soldiers expelled French forces and some 15,000 UN peacekeepers, and turned to Russian paramilitaries for defence support. The FLA presents itself as a secular nationalist movement seeking independence for Mali's Azawad region, while JNIM is al-Qaeda-affiliated; the two have set ideological differences aside to confront the Malian government.