Mali’s army announced Sunday it had “neutralized” approximately 70 militants during sweeping counterterrorism operations conducted from July 15 to 19.
The operations targeted insurgent strongholds in Menaka, Segou, Kidal, and Timbuktu, regions long plagued by violence and instability.
According to a military statement, several terrorist bases and vehicles were destroyed during coordinated air and ground attacks.
Air support was provided by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
The July 15 strikes were conducted jointly with AES air forces, marking deepening military cooperation within the alliance.
Formed in September 2023, the AES became a confederation on July 6, asserting independence by exiting ECOWAS and La Francophonie.
Though the military did not name the targeted factions, Mali has faced a grinding insurgency since 2012 involving jihadist groups and separatist rebels.
In December, five armed groups declared the Azawad Liberation Front, seeking independence for northern Mali, which the government classifies as a terrorist entity.
The campaign reflects the government’s intensified effort to reclaim territory and assert control amid a shifting landscape of regional alliances.
As Mali distances itself from traditional partners, the AES emerges as a new axis of Sahelian security cooperation.
