A gun battle has erupted between Malian soldiers and suspected separatist rebels in Kidal in the north, sparking fears that the violence could escalate. Gunmen attacked soldiers guarding a bank in the town, who returned fire, the (BBC) reported. Residents and an unnamed official said the gunmen were rebels from a Tuareg group who days ago announced they were pulling out of a peace deal. June\'s ceasefire followed more than a year of fighting that prompted an intervention by French troops. French troops remain stationed in northern Mali and the Malian army has controversially returned to Kidal. The provincial capital had been in the hands of rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) for months.