Mali’s army announced on Monday that it had captured a “top leader” of the Islamic State group’s Sahel branch and killed several fighters during an operation in the eastern part of the country on Sunday.
The West African nation, which has been facing a political, security, and economic crisis, has been plagued by various groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State since 2012.
In a statement, the Malian army confirmed that its forces in the eastern Menaka region, specifically in Tagadeyate, had captured Ahmad Ag Ditta, a prominent leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS), during the operation.
The army accused Ditta of being “responsible for a large number of violations and abuses against innocent civilians” and of orchestrating attacks on the Malian armed forces.
The statement also noted that the operation resulted in the death of several EIGS fighters and the recovery of military equipment, including numerous improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Since taking power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s military junta has severed its counterinsurgency alliance with France and European partners, instead seeking closer political and military ties with Russia.
Last December, Mali‘s junta ordered the departure of the UN stabilisation mission, MINUSMA, amid deteriorating relations with the international community.
Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch condemned “atrocities” committed by Mali’s army, the Russian mercenary group Wagner, and insurgent armed groups since the peacekeepers’ withdrawal.
