Description
In predominantly Tuareg Kidal, a town in northern Mali under the control of separatist groups, people are worried about the possible arrival of the army following the departure of UN troops. On October 2, the Malian army dispatched a large convoy to Kidal, which is currently around 100km south of the town. "The presence of the Malian army and Wagner in the Kidal region is creating panic among the population," says Mama Touré, a local government official. Tuareg armed groups, who had signed a ceasefire and peace agreement with the government in 2014 and 2015, have recently resumed hostilities against the army. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES