Mali’s troops repelled Islamic militants who attacked a military training camp and the airport in Bamako on Tuesday, resulting in casualties among soldiers. The al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility for the assault.
The militants targeted the Faladie military police school in the capital, a rare occurrence for the city, before government forces managed to “neutralize” the attackers, according to Army Chief of Staff Oumar Diarra. At least 15 suspects were detained, a security official at the camp told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The army confirmed in a televised statement that the attack caused some military casualties, though it did not specify the number of trainees killed.
Mali’s army confirmed that the militants targeted the airport, as stated in their announcement. The al-Qaida-linked group JNIM claimed responsibility for the attacks on its Azallaq website, posting videos of fighters setting a plane on fire and claiming “major human and material losses.”
Earlier on Tuesday, an AP reporter heard two explosions and saw smoke near the camp and airport on the city’s outskirts.
Following the attacks, Mali’s authorities temporarily closed the airport due to nearby gunfire, but it reopened later in the day. The U.S. Embassy in Bamako advised staff to stay home and avoid travel.
For over a decade, Mali, along with Burkina Faso and Niger, has been grappling with insurgencies involving groups allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
Recent military coups in these countries have led the ruling juntas to expel French forces and seek security support from Russian mercenaries.
Since Col. Assimi Goita assumed power, he has faced increasing jihadi attacks, particularly in central and northern Mali. A notable incident in July involved the death of about 50 Russian mercenaries in an al-Qaida ambush. Attacks in Bamako, the capital, are uncommon.
Ulf Laessing from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation noted, “I think JNIM wanted to show they can also stage attacks in the south and in the capital, following the battle on the north near the Algeria border where Wagner suffered losses.”
Previously, in 2022, gunmen targeted a Malian army checkpoint 60 kilometers from Bamako, killing six and wounding others.
In 2015, an al-Qaida-linked group attacked a hotel in Bamako, resulting in at least 20 deaths, including one American.
The significance of Tuesday’s attack lies in its demonstration of JNIM’s ability to execute large-scale operations, as noted by Wassim Nasr from the Soufan Center. He pointed out that the group is now targeting military sites instead of random civilian locations.
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