An organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda, identified as an Islamist group, declared its capture of a military base in northern Mali on Friday, causing significant casualties among the nation’s military forces.
Despite this, the Malian army stated that it successfully defended against assaults targeting bases in the Timbuktu region.
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) took control of the Niafounke camp Friday with the help of a suicide-bomb vehicle, the group said on its Al-Zallaqa Foundation media platform.
On Saturday, SITE, a US-based organization specializing in monitoring radicalized groups, confirmed the authenticity of the statement.
JNIM claimed that numerous soldiers were either killed, wounded in the battle, and two were captured.
The group released images displaying five captured armored vehicles, asserting ownership along with seized weapons and ammunition.
JNIM often abandons camps they capture after a few hours.
The group asserted responsibility for targeting an additional army camp located a few miles away in Goundam using mortar fire.
The Mali military stated on social media that they had “successfully repelled” the attacks with vigor.
“After artillery fire on the two camps, the assailants tried in vain to occupy them and were routed,” it said.
Confirming assertions from both parties is challenging due to the region’s difficult and hazardous accessibility.
Since 2012, Mali has been afflicted by organizations linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, alongside self-proclaimed self-defense groups and criminal entities.
Especially in the northern regions, there has been a surge in military confrontations subsequent to the recent withdrawal of UN forces, a demand made by the ruling junta. This withdrawal triggered conflict between the military, Islamist groups, and separatist forces vying for control over the area.
