Al-Qaeda’s Shahada News Agency reported that al-Qaeda forces have seized control of a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone operations center in the city of Kidal, Mali. The report states that the facility had been used to coordinate airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties.
The source further reported that al-Qaeda forces have also captured a Russian helicopter in the city of Tessalit.
This development comes as reports suggest that Russian forces have withdrawn from several positions in the region under an agreement, handing over their bases to al-Qaeda forces.