The Malian army has begun redeploying troops to the northern town of Kidal, amid a resumption of hostilities there.
Reports say a convoy of more than 100 vehicles left the city of Gao, about 300km (186 miles) from Kidal, early on Monday.
The north of Mali has seen an increase in attacks by ethnic Tuareg separatists and jihadists against the Malian military since the end of August.
The escalation in violence coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN force – Minusma – which has been pushed out by the ruling junta