Mali: At Least 50 Soldiers Killed in Joint Rebel Attack

Kathmandu. At least 50 soldiers have been killed in a joint attack by Tuareg rebels and jihadist groups. Officials said the army group, which was leaving the strategic northern city of Anefis, was attacked on Saturday.

The attack comes after weeks of fighting, in which both sides were trying to gain control of the war-torn region. In early July, Tuareg separatists and the 'Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims affiliated with Al-Qaeda' had captured the city of Anefis and surrounded the military base used by the Malian army and Russian paramilitaries (Africa Corps).

Tuareg and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims have claimed responsibility for the attack.

"The initial data from the attack is very dire. At least 50 soldiers were killed and at least 24 were taken hostage," a local elected official close to the military junta told AFP.

The official, who requested anonymity, called the attack the deadliest suffered by the Malian army in years. "Some of our soldiers were simply shot dead," said a source within the Malian army. The source said an investigation was underway to identify tactical weaknesses. "We are trying to understand how our soldiers became so weak," he said.

Russian paramilitaries supporting the army had already reached their destination Gao by the time of the attack and suffered no casualties. "No Russians were killed. Only members of the army and pro-government fighters were killed," said a community leader from the Gao region.

On Saturday, the army admitted that the convoy "fell into an ambush set by terrorist armed groups" but did not disclose the number of casualties. Mali has been ruled by a military junta loyal to the army since successive military coups in 2020 and 2021.

The junta has been struggling to fulfill its promise of restoring security after years of jihadist and separatist unrest.