Mali's military has faced significant assaults from jihadist groups, with recent attacks reportedly resulting in substantial militant losses, though the situation remains volatile amid ongoing insurgency in the Sahel region.
Coordinated Jihadist Attacks Target Mali Military Posts
Coordinated Jihadist Attacks Target Mali Military Posts
A series of simultaneous attacks by jihadist fighters have hit military bases across Mali, raising concerns about escalating violence and insecurity in the region.
Jihadist fighters have executed a spate of coordinated attacks on military installations across several towns in Mali, marking the third significant offensive against the armed forces in just under a month. On Tuesday morning, Mali's military reported that it successfully repelled the attacks, claiming to have "neutralised" over 80 militants, but did not provide information regarding its own casualties.
The group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), linked to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the assaults, asserting they have seized control of three military barracks. Mali has been embroiled in a brutal Islamist insurgency for over a decade, which has also involved numerous attacks from separatist factions.
Army spokesperson Col Souleymane Dembele stated during a national broadcast that the assailants suffered significant losses at every location where they clashed with military forces. The armed forces reported the recovery of weapons, vehicles, and motorcycles following the counterattacks.
The assaults occurred in at least seven different locations, including Binoli, Kayes, and Sandere, which are situated near the Senegal border, as well as further north towards the Mauritania border. Describing the chaos, a resident from Kayes remarked on the panic, noting the sound of gunfire and smoke rising towards the local governor's residence.
The jihadist group has dubbed its operation "coordinated and high quality" in a statement on social media, while declining to comment on any casualties. This attack follows previous strikes by the group, including a June 2 raid targeting an army base and an airport in Timbuktu, and another that resulted in the deaths of at least 30 soldiers.
These latest events highlight the escalating insecurity in Mali and the broader Sahel region, coinciding with warnings from the United States Africa Command (Africom) regarding an increasing threat posed by various Islamist militant factions vying for control and access to West Africa's coastal areas. Gen Michael Langley, the commander of Africom, voiced concerns about the implications of these groups gaining coastal access for smuggling and arms trafficking operations, indicating a troubling evolution of the militant threat in the region.
