Over 20 Soldiers, Including Commander, Killed as Al-Qaeda-Linked JNIM Fighters Overrun Military Base in Northern Mali

In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Sahel region, over 20 Malian soldiers, including a base commander, were killed on Friday when suspected members of the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) launched a deadly attack on a military base in Soumpi, located within the Tombouctou region in northern Mali. This assault marks one of the deadliest strikes against state forces in recent months, demonstrating the increasing operational capability of the al-Qaeda affiliate.

Dependable NG reports that the fighters, who are aligned with al-Qaeda, arrived at the base using a combination of motorcycles and trucks, immediately engaging the defending troops in heavy gunfire. Security sources who spoke with Zagazola Makama confirmed that the intense battle raged for several hours before the JNIM militants successfully overpowered the Malian soldiers and seized control of the facility.

The aftermath of the sustained attack revealed a significant military loss for Mali, with multiple soldiers reported injured or missing in action. Furthermore, the attackers engaged in widespread looting of military assets before finally retreating from the base. Reports indicate that substantial quantities of weapons and ammunition were stolen by the militants, further bolstering the group’s arsenal and operational reach across the troubled region. Reinforcing units from the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) later arrived at the Soumpi location to secure the area and conduct the crucial evacuation of the dead and wounded soldiers, though an official statement on the attack is yet to be released by the military authorities.

JNIM, which formed as a coalition of several extremist groups including Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has significantly increased the intensity and complexity of its attacks across northern and central Mali. The group’s overarching objective is to expel foreign influences and ultimately establish a Salafi-Islamist state in West Africa. These attacks, which target both military positions and civilian communities, are part of its sustained insurgency against the Malian state and its few remaining regional partners, putting immense pressure on the ruling military junta and contributing to a widespread security and humanitarian crisis across the Sahel.