Saturday, July 5, 2025

Dozens killed in Mali attack by Al-Qaeda affiliate – N.F Times

[ad_1]

Bamako: An Al Qaeda affiliate launched a sophisticated attack in the capital of Mali, resulting in the death of approximately 70 people.

The government has not released casualty figures. On Tuesday, militants targeted a premier police training academy and the airport, showcasing their capacity to hit Mali’s capital’s core. The nation is contending with an insurgency that originated in its northern desert over ten years ago.

The attacks’ magnitude and intricacy further challenge the ruling junta’s assertions of enhanced security following the expulsion of French and U.S. forces in favour of Russian support. Diplomats in the region, including one stationed in Bamako, estimate the death toll to be around 70.

Another diplomat from the area reported that the number of dead and injured could be in the hundreds, with hospitals overwhelmed and unable to accommodate more survivors.

The conflict in Mali has escalated, with violence spreading to neighbouring Sahel countries and reaching the northern coastal regions. Thousands have died and millions have been displaced. Some combatants have ties to Al Qaeda or the Islamic State.

The recent attack, claimed by Al Qaeda’s Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), inflicted losses on Mali’s junta, which has not disclosed specifics. According to a local newspaper, around 50 police cadets’ funerals were planned for Thursday.

Videos on social media documented the assault, showing insurgents torching the presidential aircraft and casualties at the police academy.

Days earlier, Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goita, who took power in a 2021 coup, claimed the army, with Russian support, had significantly weakened the opposition forces.

This incident follows a July encounter that resulted in heavy losses, where insurgents decimated numerous seasoned Russian mercenaries and Malian troops near the Algerian border.

[ad_2]

Related Articles