Al-Qaeda-linked group seizes Mali army base in deadly Boulikessi attack

An al-Qaeda-linked group has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on an army base in Boulikessi, Mali, in which more than 30 soldiers are reported to have been killed.

The group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), said it took control of the military base during the Sunday assault.

The Malian army confirmed the attack and said it “reacted vigorously” before “withdrawing”, in what it described as a tactical retreat. “Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation,” the army said in a statement.

A local source told Reuters that JNIM fighters caused heavy casualties and “cleared the camp”. Authorities have not officially confirmed the number of soldiers killed.

On Monday, the same group claimed responsibility for another attack targeting the military in the historic city of Timbuktu. Residents reported hearing gunfire and explosions. According to JNIM, its fighters attacked a military airport and Russian mercenaries in the city.

Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was captured by Islamist militants in 2012 and later retaken, but has faced renewed attacks in recent years.

The two attacks are the latest sign of the worsening security situation in Mali and the wider Sahel region.

According to Reuters, more than 400 soldiers have been killed by militants in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since the beginning of last month.

On Friday, the commander of the United States Africa Command, Gen Michael Langley, warned of growing threats in the Sahel.

He said recent attacks in Nigeria, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin were deeply troubling, and cautioned that if the militant groups gain access to West Africa’s coastline, their ability to smuggle weapons and fighters would grow stronger.