An Al Qaeda-affiliated rebel faction has claimed responsibility for a deadly assault on a Malian army base in the country’s conflict-ridden central region.
The group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), said its fighters seized the military outpost in Boulkessi, near the border with Burkina Faso.
The Malian Armed Forces, known locally as FAMA, confirmed that troops had retreated in the face of the attack but did not disclose casualty figures. “Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation,” the army’s statement said.
However, two independent security sources said the death toll exceeded 30 soldiers. A municipal source based in nearby Mondoro reported that the jihadists “cleared the camp” and left “many dead.”
Grim footage circulating on social media showed dozens of armed fighters storming the base. One harrowing video depicted insurgents walking over the lifeless bodies of soldiers sprawled between sandbag fortifications.
The assault adds to a growing list of attacks that have left more than 400 soldiers dead in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso since early May. The region, already teetering from political instability and military coups, has become a hotbed for jihadist violence.
Widening Al Qaeda Terror Threat Across Sahel Region
JNIM, which is aligned with Al Qaeda, has launched a string of attacks in recent weeks. On May 24, the group claimed it killed 40 soldiers during an attack on a base in Dioura, also located in central Mali. Just days before the Boulkessi incident, JNIM claimed it had taken over another base in Sirakorola, in the country’s southwest. Although the Malian army asserted that it had repelled that assault, no official casualty figures were released.
In neighbouring Burkina Faso, JNIM claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks on military outposts and the town of Djibo in mid-May. The group alleged it killed 200 soldiers during those operations, though the government has yet to issue an official death toll.
Meanwhile, in Niger, two separate attacks in the Tahoua and Dosso regions on May 24 and 26 reportedly killed over 100 troops, according to security officials. As with Burkina Faso, the Nigerien government has not provided an official casualty count.
The three countries — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — are now ruled by military juntas that came to power through coups between 2020 and 2023. All three cite the failure of previous civilian governments to quell the jihadist insurgencies as justification for their takeovers.
Since assuming control, the juntas have distanced themselves from former Western allies and instead turned toward Russia for military aid. Despite this realignment, their grip on security remains tenuous, with millions displaced and violence spreading across new territories.
In Mali, the military government led by Colonel Assimi Goïta faces escalating insurgent threats and internal criticism. The junta’s position was further weakened by high-profile attacks in September 2024, including one on Bamako’s international airport and another targeting a gendarmerie training facility. These incidents exposed vulnerabilities close to the capital and left scores of trainees dead.
The regime has also severed ties with regional security bodies and expelled United Nations personnel, actions that have further isolated Mali diplomatically. The country’s withdrawal from the G5 Sahel joint force and detentions of foreign soldiers have undermined regional cooperation and contributed to the unchecked expansion of insurgent control in strategic border zones like Gao and Menaka.
Despite a few military victories, such as retaking the town of Kidal with the help of Russian mercenaries, rebel groups continue to mount deadly offensives. Analysts argue that the junta’s limited air capabilities and outdated counterinsurgency tactics are hampering its ability to respond effectively.
As the junta balances the task of restoring territorial integrity with the political burden of authoritarian rule, the situation in Mali and across the Sahel remains volatile and deeply uncertain.
