On November 24, 2023, jihadist militants from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) attacked Malian forces at Niafunké, Mali.

Niafunké attack
Part of Mali War
DateNovember 24, 2023
Location
Result JNIM victory
Belligerents
Mali Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
Casualties and losses
50 killed (per JNIM)
5 vehicles captured (per JNIM)
Unknown

Background

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In November 2023, the al-Qaeda-aligned militant coalition JNIM intensified its attacks against Malian and Wagner Group forces in Mali.[1] In September, JNIM simultaneously attacked a civilian boat on the Niger River and a Malian military base in Bamba, launching the deadliest terror attack in the country's history that killed over 154 people.[2] JNIM attacked a Malian and Wagner convoy near Anéfis in November, with no casualties reported.[1]

Attack

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On November 24, a suicide bomber named Dawud al-Ansari, blew up a vehicle at the entrance of the Malian base at Niafunke.[1] The attack was simultaneously launched in Niafunke and Goundam, with the Malian government reporting that they had come under shell fire in both towns.[3] In a statement, the Malian government claimed that the JNIM attack had been repulsed.[4] Images released by JNIM media outlet Az-Zallaqa showed jihadists in control of the camp at Niafunke and riding motorbikes through the bodies of slain Malian soldiers. These images were later verified by SITE Intelligence Group.[5] The JNIM statement claimed that fifty Malian soldiers were killed, and five vehicles were captured.[6] The Malian government did not mention any casaulties in a statement.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "CEP – KAS: Sahel Monitoring November 2023". Counter Extremism Project. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  2. ^ "Mali: The attack against the civilian boat". International Federation for Human Rights. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  3. ^ "CrisisWatch: December Alerts and November Trends 2023". www.crisisgroup.org. 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  4. ^ a b "Mali: le Jnim revendique des attaques contre l'armée à Niafunké et Goundam". RFI (in French). 2023-11-25. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  5. ^ "Mali Militants Claim to Seize Military Base, Army Denies". Voice of America. 2023-11-25. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  6. ^ FRANCE 24 (2023-11-29). Burkina Faso : au moins 40 civils tués dans une attaque jihadiste contre une base militaire à Djibo. Retrieved 2024-06-16 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)