The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) conducted on the evening of Thursday, October 16, 2025 an aerial attack using kamikaze drones against a military post of the Malian Armed Forces and the African corps in the occupied city of Aguelhok, located in the Kidal region, in Azawad.
According to military sources, the strikes precisely hit their targets, causing human and material losses among the targeted forces, without an exact toll yet being reported.
This attack is part of a continuing escalation between the FLA and the military junta in power in Bamako. Since 2021, the movement has considerably strengthened its technical and military capabilities, multiplying drone strikes on several positions, notably in Kidal, Aguelhok, Tessalit, Goundam, Léré and Timbuktu.
The FLA denies any foreign aid and specifies the source of its drones
Amid speculation about the origin of the drones used, the FLA spokesperson, Mohamed El-Mouloud Ramadan, stated in an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI) that these devices were acquired on the black market, and not supplied by Ukraine, contrary to some claims relayed by the media.
He clarified that local technicians had made technical modifications to the aerial systems in order to adapt them to the geographical and climatic conditions of Azawad, which improved their effectiveness against military targets.
Ramadan also denied any military or logistical assistance from Algeria, France, Mauritania or Ukraine.
Regional tensions and exchanges of accusations
This attack comes in a context of strong tensions between Bamako and Algiers, after Malian authorities accused Algeria of supporting Azawadian armed groups following their recent military successes against the Malian Armed Forces and their African and Russian allies.
In response, the Azawadian spokesperson rejected these accusations, considering that “the military junta sees plots everywhere, accusing in turn Algeria, France, Ukraine, Mauritania, Senegal, and even Côte d’Ivoire.”
Regarding statements by Ukrainian officials referring to alleged intelligence support, Ramadan emphasized that Azawadian fighters “know their territory perfectly and do not need external support for their operations,” reaffirming the movement’s strategic autonomy.
Toward an intensification of the Mali-Azawad conflict
The increased use of drones by the FLA marks a new stage in the conflict in the Sahel and in Azawad in particular, where these devices are now at the heart of the movement’s military strategy against the Malian forces and their African and Russian allies.
