A coordinated attack in northern Mali dealt a major blow to government forces, according to the groups behind the attack.
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) – Islamic militants and a separatist group ambushed a Malian army convoy in the country north hit hard on Saturday, resulting in the killing or capture of many soldiers, the rebels said.
The Malian military confirmed the attack, saying in a statement that armed groups ambushed the convoy of Malian soldiers and their partners in a remote part of the northern Gao region and were launching counterattacks. It was the latest in a series of militant attacks against Malian security forces in recent months as armed groups compete for influence and territory in the Sahel region.
Later on Sunday, the military said it carried out “precision strikes against enemy positions” in the area where the attack took place. “Three terrorist positions were successfully targeted (and) several terrorists were neutralized. … These operations allowed the convoy to be freed from the ambushes and continue on its way,” he said.
Both al-Qaeda’s regional affiliate, JNIM, and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA, claimed responsibility for the attack as a joint operation in statements that spoke of “huge casualties” and “serious material damage” on the side of the Malian army.
The groups said the convoy was made up of the Malian army and Russia’s African Corps, whose forces have been supporting the Malian army on the ground.
It is the latest such partnership between the two groups that observers say poses major risks to the stability of Mali and its ruling junta.
“There were many soldiers killed, others were captured alive. Army vehicles including armored cars were destroyed and others were captured in good condition,” said FLA spokesman Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane.
The military convoy was leaving the northern city of Anefis and headed for the city of Gao when it was ambushed in the Sahara desert. The nature of the convoy was not immediately clear, although fuel tankers could be seen as part of it, suggesting it could be a Malian logistics convoy.
Rebels released videos purportedly showing soldiers lined up as they appeared to surrender while surrounded by Malian militants and military vehicles. In one of the videos, the rebels were seen opening fire on some soldiers lying on the ground. Soldiers were also seen being transported in armed group vehicles.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the videos.
There have been a series of militant attacks against Mali’s security forces in recent months as armed groups compete for influence and territory in the Sahel region. The landlocked mountain is part of the Sahel, a vast strip of land south of the Sahara desert that has become the epicenter of extremist violence in recent years.
In northern Mali, there have been Tuareg-led separatist groups fighting for years to create an independent state named Azawad. In 2024, they merged into the Azawad Liberation Front, or FLA.
Both the FLA and JNIM have increasingly worked together in their attacks against Malian forces, including the largest coordinated attack in more than a decade in the West African nation, which took place in April.
Subscribe to our free newsletters
Our weekly newsletter Closing arguments provides the latest on ongoing trials, major litigation and decisions in courts around the US and the world, while monthly Under the lights feeds legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.
