At least 50 Malian soldiers and five Russian Africa Corps paramilitaries were killed in a major attack on a military base in central Mali, according to security and local sources.
The assault took place on Thursday at the Dioura military camp in the Mopti region and has been described as one of the deadliest attacks on Mali’s military in recent years.
Sources gave different accounts of the number of casualties. One security source said more than 60 soldiers were killed, while a local official put the death toll at at least 80. Several dozen soldiers were also reportedly captured during the attack.
An officer who was at the scene told Zoyols Blog that more than 50 military personnel had died, including five members of Russia’s Africa Corps, while others were wounded.
The attack was claimed by the Al Qaeda linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, known as JNIM. The group said it had taken full control of the Malian army camp in Dioura.
A local source said the militants attacked the base and returned the following day, adding that the army had not sent reinforcements to the camp.
Malian authorities have since launched air and ground operations against the attackers. The army said several suspected militants travelling on motorcycles were killed while attempting to hide in bushes southwest of Dioura.
The attack comes amid a renewed campaign by JNIM and Tuareg separatist groups against Mali’s military government. The groups have carried out a series of attacks in recent months, putting further pressure on the junta that has ruled the country since successive coups in 2020 and 2021.
Mali has faced a severe security crisis since 2012, with Islamist militants linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic State operating alongside criminal groups and armed separatists.
The military government has distanced itself from France, Mali’s former colonial power, while strengthening its political and military relationship with Russia.
The latest attack follows another deadly incident in July, when at least 50 Malian soldiers were killed after their convoy was ambushed by a coalition of Tuareg separatists and jihadist fighters while travelling from Anefis towards Gao.
The continuing attacks highlight the growing security challenges facing Mali’s military government as armed groups expand their operations across parts of the country.
