Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wa'l-Muslimin (JNIM) have escalated their operations in Mali with a series of attacks targeting military and civilian locations. On the night of March 17, 2024, a Grad rocket attack was conducted on Gao Airport, where it was claimed Wagner forces were also stationed. Following this, AQIM/JNIM claimed control of the Dandrisso barracks near Sikasso, further expanding their territorial gains. An infographic released by JNIM highlighted a significant increase in operations against AES militaries, including a nearly doubled number of IEDs, vehicles destroyed, and deaths reported compared to the previous month. In a tragic turn of events, Malian army's retaliation for the Gao airport attack mistakenly struck a civilian village near Amasrakad. Additionally, ISWAP claimed responsibility for a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attack in Nigeria, killing two officers. JNIM also targeted Timbuktu military airport with Grad missiles, marking a continuation of their offensive after the Gao attack. Amidst these developments, ISGS claimed to have ambushed an Al-Qaeda emir in Gao last week, indicating ongoing conflict between jihadist factions. The recent surge in violence underscores a deteriorating security situation in Mali and the broader Sahel region, with impacts reaching the Gulf of Guinea states. Notably, JNIM has also targeted Kidal, employing Grad rockets against Mali army and Russian Africa Corps (former Wagner) bases.
In just two days, al-Qaeda in Sahel (JNIM) attacked three Mali army and Russian Africa Corps (former Wagner) bases, shelling with Grad rockets Timbuktu and Gao military airports. Today a new bombing was conducted on Anefis in Kidal. Besides them, multiple other operations #Mali https://t.co/ze5kiBP9rW
#Mali #Kidal #Anefis revendication #JNIM #AQMI https://t.co/K8Mkm763Bz https://t.co/Jq7l1ms9pA
JNIM rocketing Timbuktu, Gao, and now Kidal in just the past few days. https://t.co/eMMmNvHoP1
#Mali dans un développement important depuis la prise de #Kidal, selon source propre « le campement de l’armée malienne et de #Wagner à #Anefis a été bombardé aux roquettes #Grad par le #JNIM #AQMI »
ISGS versus Al-Qaeda on all media front - today also Burkina in the region of Dori, after earlier photoset of the capture of the Gao emir in Mali.A few months of difficult truce is over indeed. IS seems to be eager to gain more, the further AQ expands on Gulf of Guinea states. https://t.co/8MdHiiZviN https://t.co/GfE0N6jYEc
ISGS versus Al-Qaeda on all medial front - today also Burkina in the region of Dori, after earlier photoset of the capture of the Gao emir in Mali.A few months of difficult truce is over indeed. IS seems to be eager to gain more, the further AQ expands on Gulf of Guinea states. https://t.co/FCbUeOmnmH https://t.co/GfE0N6jYEc
Today, ISGS shows a photoset from the raid on al-Qaeda emir in Gao last week (more graphic pictures included). Seems like they got a spy's intel beforehand, then staged an ambush #Mali https://t.co/6NVRgA4YYN https://t.co/GfE0N6jYEc
Al-Qaeda in Sahel (JNIM) informs on the shelling of Timbuktu military airport by Grad missiles this evening. Last night they targeted Gao military airport, after which Malian army responded with mistaken Turkish Bayraktars strikes on civilian villages. #Mali https://t.co/aReRfU7tvT
ISWAP claims its third SVBIED in a few weeks, refuting MNJTF info on neutralising it beforehand. Says two officers were killed in the aftermath (by a jihadi named Abu Adam al-Nigeri) #Nigeria https://t.co/lROVljeeq9 https://t.co/aUN8eRCgiv
Mali: deadly jihadist attack near Sikasso, army blunder in Amasrakad near Gao. Junta troops fired in retaliation for Al-Qaeda's rocket barrage on Gao airport, struck civilian village by mistake. https://t.co/hsyjNi6HIY
Al-Qaeda in Sahel (JNIM) infographic on the last month's operations against AES militaries. Almost twice the number of IEDs, vehicles destroyed, motorcycles seized and deaths reported compared to mid-January- mid-February #Mali #BurkinaFaso #Niger https://t.co/8V4hRuh4Ru
📍Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) / Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wa'l-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed to take control of Dandrisso barracks belonging to the Malian Army near the city of Sikasso. https://t.co/DDj06H6xPN
📍Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) & Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wa'l-Muslimin (JNIM) conducted a Grad rocket attack on Gao Airport, where al Qaeda claimed also Wagner is stationed, in Mali on the night of March 17, 2024. https://t.co/RgKPTwh6Vp