Mali’s armed forces have announced they killed 80 al Qaeda-linked militants following a series of “simultaneous and coordinated attacks” on military posts across central and western parts of the country.
Officials reported that these assaults occurred in seven towns and cities, spanning areas near the border with Senegal and further north, close to the frontier with Mauritania. The Malian army released this statement during a special bulletin broadcast on its armed forces’ television channel.
The militants Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) group claimed responsibility for what it described as “coordinated and high-quality attacks”, further stating that it had taken control of three army barracks. In response to these attacks, regional authorities in Kayes and Dioïla imposed a 30-day overnight curfew on Tuesday for the Kayes region.
The incidents bear a resemblance to other recent operations conducted by these militants, who have carried out similar assaults on military positions in both Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Mali, which has been under military junta rule since 2020, has been grappling with insurgent groups linked to the so-called Islamic State and al-Qaeda for over a decade. The country has also been contending with a longer history of Tuareg-led rebellions in its northern regions.
In May, the head of the US Africa Command (AfriCom), General Michael Langley, issued a warning that the Sahel region, encompassing Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has become the “epicenter of terrorism on the globe.” General Langley further indicated that Islamist groups are seeking to expand their influence to West Africa’s coastline, a move that would enable them to significantly increase their revenue through activities such as human trafficking, smuggling, and arms trading.
