An al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for two coordinated attacks on Malian military positions in Boulikessi and Timbuktu, further highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the country. The first assault occurred on Sunday in Boulikessi, near the Burkina Faso border, where JNIM militants reportedly overran a military base. Reuters cited sources estimating that more than 30 Malian soldiers were killed, though the government has yet to confirm the death toll. Video footage shared online—yet to be verified—shows dozens of militants storming the base, stepping over lifeless bodies and celebrating the seizure of equipment.
On Monday, JNIM launched a second attack in Timbuktu, the historic northern city and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Residents reported intense gunfire and explosions throughout the day. Mali’s military said it repelled an infiltration attempt, killing 14 militants and arresting 31. The army also seized weapons, explosives, and vehicles during ongoing search operations. A local official claimed the attackers detonated a car bomb near a military compound.
The jihadist group alleged it also targeted Russian mercenaries stationed at Timbuktu’s military airport. While the Malian army made no reference to Wagner forces in its official communications, AFP reported military sources describing the militants as “everywhere in the city.” Mali’s military acknowledged a retreat from Boulikessi after what it described as a “vigorous response,” adding that many soldiers fought to their last breath.
These attacks are the latest in a string of violent incidents sweeping across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where over 400 troops have reportedly been killed since early May, according to Reuters. The situation comes amid a broader regional warning issued by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) last week. General Michael Langley warned that jihadist groups are accelerating their efforts to access coastal West Africa, which could significantly boost their smuggling and weapons trafficking networks. He cited rising attacks in Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, and along the Sahel as evidence of the groups’ strategic expansion.
Timbuktu previously fell under jihadist control in 2012 before being recaptured by French and Malian forces in 2013. However, insecurity has resurged in the years since, particularly following the withdrawal of French troops and the arrival of Russian paramilitary support to Mali’s transitional government. The dual assaults mark one of the most coordinated and deadly weeks in recent months, reinforcing fears that jihadist factions are regrouping with renewed capacity to strike deep within Malian territory.
