AL-QAEDA-LINKED JNIM CLAIMS DEADLY ATTACK ON MALIAN ARMY BASE IN BOULIKESSI

Africa World

Mon 02 June 2025:

An al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), claimed responsibility for a major assault on an army base in Boulikessi, Mali, asserting they seized control of the facility. According to Reuters, sources reported over 30 soldiers killed in the Sunday attack, though Malian authorities have not confirmed the death toll.

On Monday, JNIM said it launched another attack in Timbuktu, targeting military positions, with locals reporting gunfire and explosions. Mali’s military stated it responded forcefully to the Boulikessi attack but ultimately withdrew, indicating a strategic retreat. The army’s statement honored the soldiers, noting some fought “until their last breath” to defend Mali.

A local source, cited by Reuters, claimed JNIM inflicted heavy casualties and overran the Boulikessi base. Unverified videos reportedly showed militants storming the site, with one clip depicting them stepping over bodies, per Reuters.

In Timbuktu, JNIM said its fighters struck a military airport and Russian mercenaries. AFP sources reported that security forces were resisting, but militants were widespread across the city. A local official noted the attackers used a vehicle bomb that detonated near the army camp.

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Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, previously fell to Islamist militants in 2012 before their expulsion, but it has faced renewed sieges in recent years. These attacks highlight deteriorating security in Mali and the Sahel, following warnings from U.S. Africa Command (Africom).

On Friday, Africom’s Gen. Michael Langley expressed alarm over escalating Islamist militant activity in Nigeria, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin, cautioning that their potential access to West Africa’s coast could enhance smuggling and arms trafficking.

Reuters estimates over 400 soldiers have been killed by militants in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since early last month.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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