Mali Faces Wave of Attacks, Raising Concerns Over Insecurity
Mali has experienced a spate of attacks in the past 24 hours, leading to fears of escalating insecurity in the aftermath of two recent coups. On Friday, Mali’s armed forces reported a “complex” suicide attack in the military base’s airport area in the northern Gao region. The situation is currently being assessed, and no further details have been provided.
On Thursday, two attacks occurred—one on a passenger boat on the Niger River near Timbuktu and another on an army base in Bamba, both in the northern Gao region. These attacks, carried out by suspected al-Qaeda-linked militants, resulted in a total of 64 deaths, including 49 civilians and 15 soldiers, according to the interim government. The government added that around fifty of the attackers were killed by the Malian armed forces. This marks the second attack on a vessel operated by ferry operator Compagnie Malienne De Navigation (Comanav) in a week, with a 12-year-old child being killed in a previous incident.
The militant group responsible for the recent attacks, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), associated with al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility. Local media has also reported a blockade imposed on the ancient city of Timbuktu for weeks, following an announcement by GSIM.
The recent attacks highlight the deteriorating security situation in Mali, which has witnessed an upsurge in violence since two military coups in the past three years. Mali has been grappling with armed conflict since 2012, when insurgent groups, driven by political and ethnic motivations, took up arms against the government in a battle for territorial control. The situation worsened in 2021 with the military junta taking power.
According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Mali’s security situation has deteriorated due to the junta ostracizing local political actors and withdrawing cooperation with global security partners. The United Nations has expressed concern over the worsening conditions in Mali, with reports of “endless” violence unleashed on civilians by the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group and its affiliates. The UN Security Council report released in August stated that “Islamic State in the Greater Sahara” has almost doubled its areas of control in Mali within a year.
Mali’s strained relationships with France, its former colonial ruler, have further complicated the situation. The junta’s proposed delay in returning to democratic rule has soured relations with France, which prompted the withdrawal of French troops from the country. The junta has also turned to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for support since the 2021 coup. The current whereabouts of the Wagner fighters following the death of their leader, Yevgeny Prighozin, remain unknown.
Furthermore, there is a battle for control over Mali’s northern region between rival Islamist groups, exacerbating the security situation. Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop, has accused the UN of exacerbating the country’s security problems, and the UN has expressed concerns about human rights abuses by the Malian armed forces and their foreign security partners.
The violence and instability have had a severe impact on the civilian population, with almost 9 million people requiring humanitarian assistance in Mali. Recent reports also indicate that 200,000 children are at risk of starvation, with the UN warning that almost 1 million children under the age of five could face acute malnutrition by the end of the year if life-saving aid does not reach them. The situation in Mali remains critical, and efforts must be made to address the ongoing security challenges and humanitarian crisis in the country.