Rebel groups in Mali have captured a mobile drone ground control station following their seizure of the city of Kidal on April 26, according to reports from France 24.
The takeover involves a coalition of fighters, including separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
Footage released by the rebel groups on social media shows fighters posing with captured military vehicles. Some of these vehicles previously belonged to the Malian armed forces, while others were operated by Africa Corps, the Russian paramilitary group that succeeded Wagner mercenaries in the region.
Strategic technology captured
One specific video released by an account supporting the FLA separatists highlights the capture of a mobile ground control station (GCS). The footage shows a sand-colored, wire-mesh-protected container mounted on a truck at the Kidal military base.
Inside the container, the video reveals three screens, racks of electronic equipment, and joysticks. France 24 reported that the interior layout corresponds to the equipment used by the Turkish company Baykar.
The captured station is used to operate Turkish-made TB2 and Akinci drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of surveillance, reconnaissance, and dropping guided bombs.
The Malian Army has previously used these drones for strikes in the north, including an incident in the village of Amasrakad in March 2024 that targeted civilian populations.
Videos of the capture were posted by the rebels on April 27, 2026, showing the contents of the abandoned military base.
