- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.220.00%
- EUR55.21+0.28%
- GOLD4,198.30+0.18%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN82,659-1.21%
- October 13, 202618°
- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.220.00%
- EUR55.21+0.28%
- GOLD4,198.30+0.18%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN82,659-1.21%
- October 13, 202618°
Coordinated attacks struck army and Russian bases in Mali
Armed groups in Mali carried out coordinated attacks on army positions and a base housing Russian forces on Saturday. The attacks were claimed by the Tuareg separatist group FLA and the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM.
Armed groups opposed to the military government in Mali carried out coordinated attacks in different parts of the country on Saturday. The attacks targeted army positions and a base where Russian forces are also deployed.
The Malian army announced that the attacks targeted positions in Aguelhok, Anefis, Gao, Sevare and Kenieroba. A later statement said that 20 "terrorists" were killed in Sevare and six in Gao, while a pro-government fighter died in Gao and four people were wounded.
In a separate statement later on Saturday, the army announced that attacks in the towns of Konna and Somadougou were also repelled with the help of the Russian-backed paramilitary group Africa Corps.
Videos shared on the Africa Corps Telegram channel on Sunday showed a drone strike targeting a rebel position in Anefis and footage of a Russian soldier on a building at a base in Aguelhok.
In Kenieroba, a large prison complex holding opposition politicians was reportedly attacked.
Who claimed the attacks?
A spokesperson for the Tuareg-dominated separatist group Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) told Reuters news agency that they took part in the attacks. The Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) also claimed the attack, asserting that it captured at least seven positions belonging to the army or pro-government fighters.
About the groups
JNIM was formed in 2017 through the merger of Al-Qaeda's Sahara branch in the Islamic Maghreb with Ansar Dine, Katiba Macina and Al-Mourabitoun. It is led by Iyad Ag Ghali, who founded Ansar Dine in 2012. The group has fighters in the border regions of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. JNIM's primary goal is to seize territory and expel Western influence from areas it controls. Some analysts suggest that JNIM may aim to control major cities and ultimately govern the country.
The FLA was formed in 2024 as a coalition of separatist forces in northern Mali. Led by Alghabass Ag Intalla, the group represents the latest chapter in the Tuareg struggle for self-determination and independence. Although the two groups occasionally clash, they can cooperate against their common enemy, the Malian government and its allies. At the end of April, the same groups were responsible for the death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara in coordinated attacks across Mali.
Mali's security situation
Since gaining independence in 1960, Mali has experienced cycles of political stability and instability. In 2012, Tuareg separatists allied with Al-Qaeda-linked groups to seize the north of the country. However, Al-Qaeda-linked fighters soon sidelined the Tuareg rebels, taking control of key northern cities and prompting a French military intervention in 2013.
In 2015, a peace agreement was signed under UN mediation between the government and northern Tuareg groups fighting for an independent Azawad. However, a military coup in 2020 overthrew Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Assimi Goita, who seized power in a second coup in 2021, promised to restore security. Goita's administration severed ties with former colonial power France, expelling French forces and the UN peacekeeping mission from the country.
In December 2021, Goita invited the Russian mercenary group Wagner to support the military government in its fight against armed groups. Although Wagner announced last June that it would withdraw from Mali after more than three and a half years, Russian mercenaries have remained in the country under the name Africa Corps.
Alex Vines, director of the Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera that the recent attacks have squeezed the control of Malian authorities into "secure settlement zones and corridors." Vines said, "This has not improved overall security," noting that armed groups in the country are coordinating their military actions rather than competing with each other. "In this context, the success of foreign military support is limited," he added.
Stay Updated with The Turkiye Times
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
