Tuareg rebels have released approximately 60 Malian soldiers in exchange for Inkinane Ag Attaher, a leader of the rebels and a former Malian army officer, according to security sources. Ag Attaher was previously arrested by Nigerian security forces near the Niger-Nigeria border in 2025 on charges related to drone training and coordinating attacks in Mali.
The soldiers were transported to Niger for the exchange, which was overseen by the Niger government. Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadane, a spokesman for the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), expressed support for Ag Attaher’s release on social media.
This incident is part of a broader trend of prisoner exchanges involving al-Qaeda-linked fighters and Tuareg rebels in northern Mali. Reports indicate that Algeria has been mediating the release of the soldiers. Mali’s Prime Minister, General Abdoulaye Maiga, recently visited Algiers to discuss regional security issues.
Despite Mali's government publicly rejecting negotiations with groups it labels as terrorists, the ongoing prisoner releases suggest that communication channels remain active amid ongoing conflict. The FLA and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) have claimed responsibility for various attacks, including a bombing that killed Mali's Defence Minister on April 25.
Elisee Jean Dao, chief of Mali’s armed forces, emphasized the military's commitment to pursuing those who oppose the government, while also inviting Malian fighters to participate in the peace process. The civil war in Mali has persisted since 2012, following a Tuareg separatist rebellion and subsequent armed campaigns by extremist groups.
The military has been in power since a coup in 2021, aiming to restore stability in the country. The FLA and JNIM, despite their differing ideologies, have united against the Malian government, particularly after the expulsion of French forces and the presence of Russian paramilitaries for defense support.