The Malian army has begun redeploying troops towards the northern rebel stronghold of Kidal.
This comes amid a recent resumption in hostilities in the region.
"As part of the reorganisation of our arrangements in the north, we have begun the redeployment of our forces in the northeastern region of Kidal," a Mali military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP on Monday.
A convoy left the northern city of Gao, which lies about 300 kilometres (186 miles) southwest of Kidal, early on Monday, the source added.
Another security official said the convoy was made up of 119 vehicles and was stopped on the road to the north of Gao.
Resumption of hostilities
National security chiefs made the deployment decision at a meeting late on Sunday, he added.
Mali's north has seen a resumption of hostilities by Tuareg-dominated separatist groups and an intensification of insurgent attacks against the Malian army since the end of August.
In 2012, ethnic Tuaregs in northern Mali rose up and were joined by the Islamic extremists of the Ansar Dine group.
Swathes of the country fell to violent extremists, including the three main northern centres of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu.
The recent escalation in violence coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA, which has been pushed out by the ruling junta.
