A rebel group affiliated with Al Qaeda, operating in the Sahel region of West Africa, has taken responsibility for an attack on a military base in Mali on Sunday. According to two sources, the assault resulted in the deaths of over 30 soldiers. Since the beginning of May, insurgents are said to have killed more than 400 soldiers across military bases and towns in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, an area known for its instability and frequent coups.
The jihadist group Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) announced on Sunday that it had taken control of a base in Boulkessi, located in central Mali near the Burkina Faso border. The Malian army reported that it had to retreat from the area. "Many men fought valiantly, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation," the army's statement read, though it did not provide any casualty figures. A spokesperson did not answer inquiries regarding the death toll, but two security sources indicated that over 30 soldiers had lost their lives.
A municipal source in Mondoro, near the base, reported that the insurgents "cleared the camp," resulting in numerous casualties. Videos circulating online depicted dozens of insurgents overwhelming the base, with one clip showing militants stepping on the bodies of soldiers who had fallen between sandbags.
The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has claimed responsibility for several recent attacks in the region. On May 24, they announced an assault on a base in Dioura, central Mali, which resulted in the deaths of 40 soldiers. Last Friday, JNIM also claimed to have taken control of a base in Sirakorola, southwestern Mali, although the army stated that it had successfully repelled the attack, without providing a casualty count for that incident.
In neighboring Burkina Faso, JNIM claimed responsibility for attacks on military positions and the town of Djibo in mid-May, asserting that it killed 200 soldiers. In Niger, security sources reported that over 100 soldiers were killed in two separate attacks: one in the Tahoua region on May 24 and another in the Dosso region on May 26. Neither Burkina Faso nor Niger has released an official death toll.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are all governed by juntas that took power between 2020 and 2023, citing the failure of civilian governments to combat jihadist insurgencies. These countries have severed ties with Western nations and sought military support from Russia, yet they continue to struggle with violence that has displaced millions.
