Bamako, Mali – An al-Qaeda-linked militant group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), claims to have carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi, seizing control of an army base. Reports from Reuters, citing unnamed sources, suggest more than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday’s assault, though this figure has not been officially confirmed by Malian authorities.
On Monday, JNIM also claimed responsibility for targeting military forces in the historic northern city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting sounds of gunfire and explosions.
In response to the Boulikessi attack, Mali’s army issued a statement saying it “reacted vigorously” before “withdrawing,” a phrasing often used to imply a tactical retreat. The statement added that “many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation.” An unnamed local source cited by Reuters indicated that JNIM had inflicted significant casualties and “cleared the camp.” Unverified video footage circulating reportedly shows militants overwhelming the base and stepping on bodies.
For Monday’s attack in Timbuktu, JNIM stated its fighters targeted a military airport and Russian mercenaries. Military and security sources told AFP news agency that they were “fighting back” but described the militants as being “everywhere in the city.” A local official reported that attackers had arrived with a “vehicle packed with explosives” that detonated near the army camp.
Timbuktu, a UN World Heritage Site, was briefly held by Islamist militants in 2012 before being retaken by French and Malian forces, but has faced renewed siege in recent years.
These attacks are the latest indication of deteriorating security across Mali and the wider Sahel region. They follow a recent warning from the United States Africa Command (Africom) about increasing efforts by various Islamist militant groups in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa’s coastline.
During a press conference on Friday, Africom commander Gen. Michael Langley described recent attacks in Nigeria, the broader Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling. He warned that militant access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking. Reuters reports that more than 400 soldiers are thought to have been killed by militants in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since the beginning of last month
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