Insurgent Attack Overruns Mali Military Base, Killing Dozens of Soldiers, Sources Say
A prominent Al Qaeda-linked rebel group operating in West Africa’s Sahel region claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base in Mali on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of more than 30 soldiers, according to security sources. The attack marks one of the deadliest assaults in the ongoing violence ravaging the region.
The jihadist group Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) announced it seized the base in Boulkessi, located in central Mali near the border with Burkina Faso. The Malian military acknowledged that the base had been overrun and reported a withdrawal in the face of the attack.
While the Malian army issued a statement praising the soldiers’ efforts to defend the nation, it did not specify casualty figures. Two security sources confirmed that over 30 soldiers had been killed, with one local municipal source describing the base as "cleared" by insurgents, with many soldiers dead. Videos circulating online purportedly show insurgents overrunning the base and soldiers' bodies, but the media has not verified these images.
See also: Resurfaced KGB Claims Labeling Trump a Russian Asset Spark Heated Debate in US and UK
This attack is part of a pattern of escalating violence in the region, with JNIM claiming responsibility for recent strikes across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Notably, in Mali alone, attacks on military bases or positions have resulted in hundreds of deaths over recent months, deeply destabilizing the region.
All three countries—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—are governed by military juntas that seized power between 2020 and 2023, citing the failure of civilian governments to contain jihadist insurgencies. These regimes have shifted alliances, distancing themselves from Western nations and turning to Russia for military support, yet they continue to face severe security challenges that have displaced millions of civilians.
Comments
Post a Comment