The bombing of Bamako Airport and Military Academy by Jihadists
An al-Qaeda-affiliated militant organization is believed to be responsible for a recent attack in Bamako, the capital of Mali. Armed persons targeted a military training school and multiple other locations in the city. Authorities in Mali have verified the attack and blamed “a group of terrorists.” The attack was attributed to the Sahel-based jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), who emphasized the heavy casualties suffered by the Malian soldiers in the conflict.
This is the first occurrence of this kind to happen in Bamako in a while. For more than a decade, an Islamist insurgency has devastated Mali, but up until recently, the capital had been relatively safe. Among the Sahel’s most notorious militant organizations, JNIM has maintained a steady schedule of attacks in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
In Bamako, JNIM’s “Special Operation”
The Malian security forces were killed in a concerted attack that hit the military training complex and the military airport in Bamako, according to JNIM. Multiple news outlets, including The New York Times, have reported that the attack resulted in the deaths or injuries of various cops. Speaking anonymously, members of Mali’s security forces reported that many personnel were taken to hospitals by ambulance.
The Mali government has not released any official numbers on casualties. Still, it has confirmed that the military academy was one of several “sensitive points” struck in the early hours of the morning. The situation had been brought “under control,” according to a military statement that was released later that day, assuring locals that routine operations could continue.
Threats to Bamako’s Military Airport and Heavy Gunfire
There were persistent reports of heavy gunfire, even after the military issued a statement. Firefights broke out in the afternoon close to the Bamako civilian airport terminal, which a police station controls. Concurrently, JNIM asserted that the military airport was under their authority. These assertions highlight the severity of the conflict and the group’s goals, although the BBC was unable to confirm them independently.
The Growing Insurgency in Mali: Setting the Scene
For more than ten years, jihadist insurgents with ties to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have been active in the region, posing a threat to Mali’s stability. The fighting has wreaked havoc across the nation, causing instability in areas where separatist groups and Islamist extremists have fought for dominance, as in the north and center.
The government’s failure to adequately combat the insurgency was the main justification for the military’s 2021 coup d’état in Mali. French personnel stationed in Mali to assist with counterterrorism operations were expelled by the ruling junta following the coup. Instead of relying on UN peacekeepers, the junta chose to rely on Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group to help fight the rebellion.
There is still a significant jihadist threat in Mali, even with these efforts. Jihadist organizations like JNIM are ramping up their attacks on both civilian and military targets. Attacks like the one in Bamako continue to make it harder for the government of Mali and its international allies to bring peace and security back to the country.
A JNIM Uprising in the Sahel
In recent years, JNIM has grown into a formidable jihadist group in the Sahel area. Al-Mourabitoun, Ansar Dine, and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are among the extremist factions that came together to form the group in 2017. Numerous high-profile attacks in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have been carried out by it, aiming at civilian and military targets alike.
The group has used guerilla tactics to challenge official authority across the Sahel, with the claimed objective of establishing an Islamic state governed by Sharia law. As of late, JNIM has been more active in more strategic operations, including as assaults on government buildings, military bases, and foreign peacekeeping missions.
The Global Consequences of the Security Crisis in Mali
The wider Sahel area is in grave danger as a result of the terrorist violence’s rise in Mali. The instability in Mali has also impacted Burkina Faso and Niger, as armed organizations have flourished in the country’s authority vacuum. Because of this, there is a growing international worry since the Sahel has evolved into a haven for transnational concerns, including people trafficking and extremism.
The rising Islamist threat in the Sahel region has prompted calls for greater cooperation amongst Sahelian states from a number of international bodies, including the UN and the African Union. Efforts to control the rebellion have been hindered by the evacuation of foreign forces, particularly French troops and UN peacekeepers. There are now more doubts over Mali’s future security plan due to its dependence on the Wagner Group, a contentious and mostly secretive military force based in Russia.
Ultimately, it remains a constant battle.
Recent events in Bamako highlight the persistence of Islamic insurgency as a problem for Mali. Groups like JNIM remain a major danger to regional stability despite the government’s attempts to strengthen security through military partnerships and strategic operations.
