Bamako — Local observers describe as "an unprecedented event" the double attack carried out yesterday, September 17, in Bamako, the capital of Mali, on the airport and a nearby gendarmerie base.
The attack was claimed by Islamist extremists from the "Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims" (JNIM). The jihadists managed to penetrate the airport area, which is considered the best protected place in the Malian capital after the presidential palace. They targeted the presidential pavilion, used to receive foreign official delegations visiting the country, and damaged several aircraft parked on the runway, including a presidential plane, then attacked a Malian Air Force facility inside the airport compound and also attempted to attack a nearby military drone platform. At the same time, another JNIM commando attacked the Gendarmerie training and education center, causing loss of life and material damage to the facility.
The exact number of casualties among the military, jihadists and civilians who may have been involved in the attacks, which targeted military facilities and the presidential office (the sector of the airport in question), is not yet known. In their videos claiming responsibility, the Islamists claim to have killed dozens of Malian military personnel and Russian mercenaries and destroyed at least six aircraft, including a drone. A few weeks ago, the JNIM issued a communiqué declaring that it intended to "strike throughout Mali". Yesterday's attacks also took place on the first anniversary of the September 2023 constitution of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), formed by the military juntas of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. All states face the threat of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. The coup plotters seized power in the three AES member countries with promises to fight the Islamists and restore security in their countries. After expelling the troops of France, the United States and other Western countries from their territories, the coup plotters brought in Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group to help them fight the jihadists, so far with little success.
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Furthermore, on September 15, two days before the attacks on Bomako, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso had announced the launch of a joint television channel and the imminent issuance of biometric passports of the Confederation of Sahel States (another step in the consolidation of relations between the coup plotters, see Fides, 13/7/2024), without the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), from which the three countries had announced their intention to withdraw in January this year (see Fides, 3/2/2024).
