DAKAR, Aug 13 - Mali's army said 82 of its soldiers who had been held prisoner since nationwide attacks in April by al Qaeda-linked militants and a rebel group were freed on Thursday.

• The regional al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), and Tuareg-led rebel group, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), claimed responsibility for the attacks on April 25, which hit the main airport and killed the defence minister.

• The army said in a statement the soldiers had been "held hostage" by "armed terrorist groups affiliated with the JNIM-FLA coalition".

• "This liberation ... is the result of rigorous planning and the coordinated mobilisation of the capabilities required to carry out this type of operation," the statement said.

• The two groups also claimed responsibility for attacks on army positions across Mali on July 4.

• Mali has been fighting insurgencies since 2012. Founded in 2017, JNIM has gained in strength since the Malian soldiers who seized power in 2020 and 2021 coups kicked out some 15,000 French and U.N. soldiers and turned to Russian mercenaries for defence support. REUTERS

Mali says 82 of its soldiers held prisoner since April have been freed