In a fresh wave of violence, terrorist groups launched simultaneous attacks on military installations across several towns in western Mali on Tuesday.
These assaults signal a resurgence of conflict in the junta-led nation, which has battled various armed groups for over a decade.
The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked organisation, claimed responsibility for the attacks via its media platform, Al-Zallaqa Foundation.
While AFP could not independently verify the claim, JNIM has already taken responsibility for two other significant assaults on the Malian army in the past month.
Mali’s army confirmed that seven of its positions in the west were targeted in “coordinated attacks carried out very early this morning.” They later reported that “more than 80 terrorists” were “neutralised,” a term that can imply either killed or captured.
Residents and local officials corroborated reports of attacks in at least four towns. A resident in Kayes described waking up to “intense” gunfire and seeing smoke near the governor’s residence, while another sheltered indoors during the assault. A military source indicated an explosion near the governor’s residence preceded gunfire at a military camp. Similarly, a local politician on Facebook stated that the Nioro region, including the towns of Nioro, Sandare, and Gogui, had been targeted.
All seven affected towns are in western Mali, with Diboli situated directly on the border with Senegal. According to the Timbuktu Institute, a research centre in Dakar, JNIM aims to expand its presence from Mali into Senegal and Mauritania.
The Malian military assured the public that the situation was being “very closely” monitored.
JNIM, in its statement, claimed “total control of three enemy barracks and dozens of military checkpoints” in towns consistent with those reported by the military and residents, including Niono, Diboli, Sandare, Gogui, Kayes, and Nioro.
Escalating Violence and Regional Dynamics
These recent attacks follow two major terrorist-claimed assaults within the last month, including a coordinated strike on an army camp and airport in Timbuktu on June 2 and a deadly raid that killed at least 30 soldiers in central Mali just a day prior.
Terrorist offensives have also intensified across the broader Sahel region, impacting not only Mali but also Burkina Faso and Niger. Despite pledges by the military juntas in these three nations to prioritise security, they are struggling to contain the jihadist advance.
Earlier this year, the three Sahel states withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing the regional bloc of being subservient to France. They have since formed their confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), establishing a unified military force and conducting joint counter-terrorist operations.
However, human rights organisations have criticised all three governments for allegedly suppressing dissent under the guise of counterterrorism efforts.
