The video in the link shows Russian corps forces and Malian army units leaving the city of Kidal after surrendering to the conditions set by the Azawad Liberation Front and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin. It also shows Azawadi fighters chanting in celebration of victory at the city’s exit. The person speaking in the video says: “These are the ones who used to dominate us in our land, and now they are leaving in surrender.” Another video shows members of the Azawad Liberation Front inside Kidal watching the withdrawal of Russian and Malian forces, with the speaker stating: “These Russians and the Malian army have now surrendered and are preparing to leave the city. They are taking their wounded and their equipment from ‘Camp 2’ and exiting the city. All of this is by the grace of God after we managed to drive them out of the city.”
The withdrawal of Russian forces from Kidal followed negotiations between the Azawad Liberation Front on one side and Russian forces stationed at the former UN camp outside the city on the other. According to special sources from Kidal, an agreement was reached under which Russian forces would hand over their weapons to the Azawad Liberation Front in exchange for safe passage without being harmed. It is worth noting that Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin had expressed in its statement issued yesterday its desire for Russia to remain neutral in this conflict.
As of now, the situation with the Malian army in Kidal has not been resolved, and exchanges of gunfire continue intermittently.
