Mali announced on Thursday that 82 of its soldiers, held captive by armed groups in the country's north, have been released and are now in government care. The Malian army confirmed the release in a statement broadcast on state television, detailing that the soldiers had been taken prisoner by fighters linked to al-Qaeda and a separatist rebel group.

The captured soldiers were reportedly held hostage following nationwide attacks that occurred in April. The army's statement indicated that the release was the result of a process initiated immediately after their capture, and that all freed soldiers are safe and receiving care from authorities.

Both the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on April 25. These attacks targeted Bamako's airport and several other locations, and a bombing at the residence of Defence Minister Sadio Camara in Kati resulted in his death. The two groups also claimed responsibility for further attacks on army positions across Mali on July 4.

The FLA stated on Thursday that it had released approximately 80 Malian soldiers captured between 2023 and 2026. This claim presents a discrepancy with the army's account that the soldiers had been held since the April 25 attacks. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, an FLA spokesperson, described the release as being for "strictly humanitarian" reasons and noted that some soldiers had been captive since 2023, with about 118 others still held.

A source within Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested to the AFP news agency that Algeria mediated the release. Mali has been grappling with a civil war that began in 2012, initially sparked by a Tuareg separatist rebellion in the north, which subsequently evolved to include armed campaigns by groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL.

The military has governed Mali since a coup in 2021, with a stated objective of restoring order and national unity. JNIM has seen its influence grow following the expulsion of French forces and a significant UN peacekeeping mission by the Malian military junta. The government has instead sought defense support from Russian paramilitaries.

Despite ideological differences – with the FLA positioning itself as a secular nationalist movement seeking independence for the Azawad region, and JNIM being an al-Qaeda affiliate – the two groups have united to confront the Malian government. This cooperation highlights a complex and evolving security landscape in the region.

Further details regarding the precise number of soldiers still held or the exact timeline of their capture remain subject to differing accounts from the involved parties. The ongoing conflict and the shifting alliances among armed groups continue to pose significant challenges to Mali's stability and security.