For the Malian junta and its opponents, the Eid al-Adha truce provided a valuable moment of respite with a few days to reflect and, above all, to prepare for what comes next. Since the swift offensive launched on 25 April by Jama'at Nusrat-al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and its ally the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), both sides have been working to strengthen their positions militarily, tactically and politically.

The attack, which reached Kati, the heart of the Malian military apparatus, and several