The junta s seizure of this key northern city from the Azawad coalition could create more problems than it solves, The victory of Forces armées maliennes (FAMa) and its Russian Wagner Group allies over the Coordination des mouvements de l Azawad (CMA) for control of Kidal on 14 November is a useful political boost for the Bamako junta but not the military turning point that it claims. Most of the CMA s fighters have simply pulled back from Kidal to adjacent areas from where they will continue their insurgency against the junta and its army.