How did French and African forces retake northern Malian towns in 2013?

In early January 2013, Islamist fighters launched a southerly incursion and captured Konna, a key town in central Mali. This advance prompted the Malian government to request international assistance, leading to a swift intervention by France.12

French troops, working alongside Malian forces and later with troops from other African countries under the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) banner, utilized a combination of air strikes and ground combat to force the Islamist fighters to retreat from Konna.12

By the end of January 2013, these combined forces had successfully retaken key northern towns, including Timbuktu. By early February, they had pushed the Islamist fighters out of Kidal, the last town under their control. Following these operations, the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established to take over security operations from AFISMA in July 2013.123