The escalating security situation in Mali was highlighted by the recent terrorist attack at the country’s international airport. The airport outside of Bamako, Mali’s capital, was attacked on September 17, 2024, by a group of militants affiliated with the al-Qaeda-linked Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The country was stunned as one of Mali’s most guarded locations was revealed in the images of militants freely wandering the airport, setting fire to the presidential jet, and threatening UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) planes.
The Bamako International Airport Attack
Early in the morning, a group of blasé jihadists stormed the airport’s VIP area, opening fire and firing shots. Militants staged their attacks at the airport, a normally secure location, and then uploaded the videos on social media. In addition to the airport, the assailants struck a gendarmerie training facility in the Faladié neighborhood. Echoing through the stillness of the early morning, footage shot by locals revealed smoke rising into the sky and the loud crack of explosions.
The government of Mali has not yet announced an official death toll; however, there have been rumors indicating that 200 people were wounded and up to 100 could have been murdered. Both government forces and insurgents are believed to have been killed. Fear spread across Bamako as it witnessed scenes of devastation and anarchy. The city had been terrorized before, but not on this magnitude in recent memory.
The Prolonged Clash in Mali: A Country in Danger
Northern towns like Timbuktu and Gao fell under the influence of radical Islamist organizations and ethnic Tuareg separatists in 2011, marking the beginning of Mali’s fight with insurgency. Jihadist groups like JNIM have been in the forefront of the nationwide upsurge in militant activity that has occurred over the years. Attacks on major cities like Bamako are not uncommon; for example, in 2015, 20 people were killed in an attack at the Radisson Blu hotel, and another shooting in the Hippodrome neighborhood occurred in the same year.
Colonel Assimi Goïta led a military coup in 2020, severely worsening the security situation while condemning the government for not being able to handle the increasing violence. Nothing has changed in terms of security, even after two coups, increased military efforts, and the contentious participation of Wagner Group Russian mercenaries. Instead, the fighting has spread to the center of the country, where ethnic tensions between the Dogon and Peul herders have added to the instability caused by the desert’s already precarious climate.
The Jihadists’ Expanding Influence
Bamako and other southern cities are still vulnerable to insurgent attacks, despite attempts by the Mali army and its allies, the Wagner mercenaries, to bring the situation under control. The brutal assault this week shows that not even the nation’s capital can escape the clutches of jihadists. Although these actions are startling, they do not show that the militants have complete authority over significant places. Instead, they demonstrate that they can disrupt important locations.
The junta’s military complex at Kati, located around 15 kilometers from Bamako, was the target of an attempted raid in July 2022. The event demonstrated the insurgents’ capability to conduct high-profile attacks near the capital, even though the army was able to control them. The junta’s confidence remained unshaken despite the attack being traced to JNIM.
Removing Foreign Troops
In 2022, the regime of Mali evicted Operation Barkhane, an anti-terrorism force from France, further deteriorating relations between the country and its Western partners. A security vacuum was created by the French retreat, which was partially filled by Wagner mercenaries. But the peace that was sought has remained elusive, even with these foreign fighters present.
In 2023, the Goïta government demanded the withdrawal of the 14,000-strong Minusma peacekeeping mission from the United Nations, along with the expulsion of French personnel. Because of this, foreign aid to Mali plummeted, and the country was left to deal with the insurgency threat on its own.
The Sahel Region Faces Increasing Regional Uncertainty
Jihadist organizations like JNIM and ISGS are expanding their influence throughout the Sahel area, exacerbating the security situation in Mali and other countries in the region. Terrorists have taken over vast swaths of rural Niger and Burkina Faso, two neighboring countries. The Niger capital, Niamey, is sometimes within an hour’s drive from an insurgent attack.
Ivory Coast, Benin, and Togo are coastal states that are not immune to the jihadists’ influence. The security situation in the region is still not looking good, even if some governments have succeeded in repressing militants through development programs and military might, such as Ivory Coast.
Final Thoughts: A Fragile Nation
It is crystal clear that Mali’s security position is precarious in light of the assault on Bamako’s airport. There has been political turmoil, international interventions, and military campaigns, but the country is still in the middle of a war. Efforts to restore peace are further complicated by ethnic tensions, and jihadist groups’ influence is expanding in Mali and throughout the Sahel.
