Mali Tuareg rebels claim military base following clashes on Sunday

Mali’s Tuareg rebels, known as the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), have seized another military base from the Malian army in the Gao region. This is the fourth base taken by the rebels since August, following the departure of a UN peacekeeping mission. The clashes between the CMA and the Malian army signal an intensifying conflict as both sides vie for control of territory in the desert north. The Tuaregs have long sought autonomy for the region, and tensions have increased since the military consolidated power and expelled foreign forces.