Heavy fighting continued on Tuesday around the military base in Anéfis, northern Mali, as the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) said it had stepped up its offensive against Malian forces and Russian Africa Corps personnel stationed at the base.
A field source told Al Jazeera that FLA fighters used short-range rockets to bombard the military compound, while the besieged forces responded by launching loitering drones.
The source said the FLA also carried out drone strikes targeting positions inside the base, including a communications tower. According to the source, the attacks destroyed an armoured vehicle, a military truck and a Russian-made D-30 howitzer operated by Africa Corps personnel.
The FLA further claimed it had shot down another military helicopter belonging to the Malian army and the Russian Africa Corps near Anéfis, bringing the total number of helicopters downed since the fighting began to three. These claims could not be independently verified.
According to the same source, a large number of Malian soldiers and Africa Corps personnel remain trapped inside the base. The source added that the limited return fire observed on Tuesday could indicate dwindling ammunition supplies or an effort to conserve ammunition.
The source also reported that three Malian soldiers, including an officer, were killed while attempting to surrender and leave the base, alleging they were shot by Africa Corps personnel. Al Jazeera has not been able to independently verify the claim.
The FLA says it remains determined to seize the military camp, either by storming it or forcing the remaining troops to surrender.
In a separate development, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) announced that it had captured a Malian military barracks in the town of Sandaré, in the western Kayes region. The Malian army had not commented on the claim at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, Jacques Rolan, a senior researcher at the Institute of World Politics, told Al Jazeera that Mali has repeatedly failed to re-establish control over the strategic northern city of Kidal, arguing that the FLA has demonstrated its ability to sustain military operations and remain a key force on the battlefield.
