In January 2013, in response to the jihadist advance to the south, the then Malian president Dioncounda Traoré requested help from France to fight them, which marked the beginning of a robust French military operation, first called Serval and then Barkhane, which, with the help of the Chadian Army, dealt a heavy blow to the jihadists and recovered the three main cities in the north of the country. #Mali #Kidal #FLA (translated)
El Ejército de Malí y sus aliados rusos reconquistan Kidal sin disparar un solo tiro
elpais.com