Africa Corps hands over Ber to rebels

The Russian Africa Corps and the Malian Armed Forces have withdrawn from the town of Ber in the Timbuktu region, peacefully handing it over to the coalition of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the al Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). This is the fourth settlement transferred by the joint forces to the rebel alliance and the first city in the Timbuktu region to come under Tuareg control. The handover follows earlier negotiations for a safe withdrawal corridor from the Ber area, signaling a continued strategic retreat by pro-government forces in northern Mali.