Gold artisanal zone in Mali. Rush since ~2018; no figure
Origin: Mali
Region: Kidal Region
Site data
- Commodity: Gold
- Tier: Artisanal zone (no reliable production figure; separate marker)
- Status: Contested; FAMa/Africa Corps back in Kidal town since 6 Oct 2026
- Operator / ownership: Informal; access taxed by the CMA/FLA and JNIM (UN Panel of Experts)
- Production: Rush since ~2018; no figure
- Coordinates: 19.2000, 1.3000 (schematic zone centre between Kidal, Aguelhok and Abeibara (no site points found))
Security context
- Artisanal rush since ~2018 in the Adrar des Ifoghas; the UN Panel of Experts found the CMA (now FLA) and JNIM controlling access and taxing miners in exchange for security. ADF published photos of an active site near Kidal (15 May 2026). No individual site coordinates found; the map marker is schematic.
- 1–4 Aug 2026: FAMa announced air strikes including ‘a gathering site in Kidal with mining equipment’ (2 Aug) (C3, Faytuks News Discord (west-africa-sahel) via @KargnHasret, x.com/KargnHasret/status/2084270261516357725, 3 Aug 2026), (C3, Faytuks News Discord (west-africa-sahel) via @KargnHasret, x.com/KargnHasret/status/2084685362966753660, 4 Aug 2026).
- Control: FAMa/Wagner took Kidal, Tessalit and Aguelhok in Nov 2023; the FLA retook Kidal on 25–27 Apr 2026; Aguelhok was vacated in May and re-garrisoned by early Jul; FAMa and Africa Corps re-entered Kidal ~6 Oct 2026 (Kidal retaken (Oct 2026)). The rural Tessalit/Abeibara areas are probably still FLA/JNIM-held (unverified). See also Battle of Tinzaouaten (Jul 2024).
Sources
- ADF, gold mines fuel Sahel terrorism, Aug 2026: https://adf-magazine.com/2026/08/control-of-gold-mines-fuels-sahel-terrorism/
- Map and tier rule: 03 Resources Map
Relationships
- Taxed by: FLA
- Taxed by: JNIM
- Struck by (Aug 2026): FAMa (Mali)
- Contested by: Africa Corps
- Context: Kidal retaken (Oct 2026)
Media
Regional security map; this site is outside the four zooms.