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Battle of Boulikessi (2019)

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Battle of Boulikessi (2019)
Part of Mali War
DateSeptember 29 – October 1, 2019
Location
Boulikessi and Mondoro, Mali
Result JNIM victory
Belligerents
Mali
Burkina Faso
France (air support only)		 Ansarul Islam
Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
Strength
120 men initially, reinforcements unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
40 killed (per Malian government), 85 killed (per JNIM)
None		 15+ dead
4 civilians killed

The battle of Boulikessi took place between September 30 and October 1, 2019. Jihadists from JNIM and Ansarul Islam attacked Malian bases in Boulikessi and Mondoro, killing between 40 and 85 Malian soldiers, making it the deadliest attack for the Malian army since the Second Battle of Kidal in 2014.

Prelude

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Throughout the Mali War, the eastern parts of Mopti Region in Mali have been a hotbed of jihadist violence, particularly between the Malian government and groups like Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). In Burkina Faso, which has been struggling through its own jihadist insurgency since 2015, Ansarul Islam is often responsible for the jihadist violence, with both groups launching raids on Malian outposts. The town of Boulikessi had been subject to raids before, with the first one in 2017 by JNIM killing a dozen Malian soldiers.[1]

Battle

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On the night between September 29 and 30, jihadist groups launched a simultaneous attack on the towns of Boulikessi and Mondoro.[2] The attack in Mondoro was quicker, with the raid mainly being for food and vehicles, and only a small skirmish broke out between the jihadists and the Malian Army. Two civilians were killed and three were injured in the Mondoro attack.[3][4]

In Boulikessi, the jihadists launched the attack on the Fort 11 base, which was manned by the elite 33rd Parachute Commando Regiment of the Malian Army.[5][6] At the start of the attack, many Malian soldiers fled, allowing the jihadists to capture the base within an hour.[7] The jihadists then looted and partially destroyed the base, with a non-commissioned officer stating "The men did not fight, those who fled were not killed."[8][7]

Despite the Malian soldiers fleeing, the Malian government dispatched reinforcements to the area, and clashes continued around the base in the days following.[9][10] The G5 Sahel then launched a counterattack on Boulikessi, with the aid of French drones and the Burkinabe Armed Forces.[8] The French government did not commit any ground forces in the battle, and only were used to intimidate the jihadists.[5] On the morning of October 1, Malian and Burkinabe forces recaptured the camp at Mondoro, and in the evening, recaptured Fort 11 and other positions in Boulikessi.[10]

Aftermath

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Following the battle, the Malian government announced operations to find the perpetrators. Clashes broke out in the Boulikessi area on October 16 between the Malian Army and unknown jihadists, and on October 19, the government claimed to have "neutralized" around 50 jihadists, injured 30, and freed 36 Malian POWs.[11]

Perpetrator

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On October 1, RFI attributed the attack to Ansarul Islam, which was corroborated by the G5 Sahel.[10] However, while the attacks in Boulikessi and Mondoro were not the modus operandi of Ansarul Islam, analysts suggested that the group could have collaborated with JNIM or the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), both of whom operate in eastern Mopti.[12] JNIM later claimed the attack in a press release on October 7.[13]

Casualties

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The Malian government stated on October 2 that the provisional toll was 25 Malian soldiers killed, 4 injured, and 60 missing, against 15 killed and five vehicles destroyed for the jihadists. Eleven Malian soldiers returned to the base at Boulikessi on October 2.[7][10] Malian Defense Minister Ibrahima Dahirou Dembélé stated that 38 soldiers were buried, along with the discovery of 33 missing soldiers, eight of whom were receiving treatment for injuries. Dembélé did not specify if all of the missing people were found. That same day, Oumar Diarra, commander of operations in Mopti Region, gave a toll of 38 killed and 16 injured. One more injured person was discovered on October 5, making the toll 17 injured.[14][15]

The death toll rose again on October 7, after the discovery of two bodies, making the death toll 40.[16] By November, AFP stated the toll of 40 was underestimated, and many Malian soldiers were still missing.[17] The battle of Boulikessi was the deadliest day for the Malian army since the Battle of Kidal in 2014.[13] Many vehicles were seized and destroyed in the battle, including two tanks, two helicopters, and many heavy weapons.[5]

In a press release, JNIM claimed the deaths of 85 Malian soldiers and two taken prisoners, including the head of the garrison. However, they did not announce their losses.[18] Two civilians were killed in Boulikessi as well.[19]

Reactions

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On October 3, the Malian government declared three days of national mourning.[9] Malian youth protested against the government on October 2 in Bamako, backed by the Malian opposition, who blamed the government's management of the army.[20][9]

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ "Malijet La liste des otages militaires maliens toujours en captivité Bamako Mali". malijet.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  2. ^ "Mali: au moins 25 soldats maliens et 15 jihadistes tués lors d'intenses combats". L'Express (in French). 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  3. ^ "Mali: attaque de deux camps de l'armée dans le centre du pays". RFI (in French). 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  4. ^ "Qui est derrière l'attaque de Boulkessi au Mali?". RFI (in French). 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  5. ^ a b c Macé, Célian. "Au Mali, le pouvoir ébranlé par l'assaut meurtrier du camp de Boulkessi". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  6. ^ "Attaque du camp militaire de Boulkessi au Mali : est-il vraiment l'un des "plus protégés" ?". Les Observateurs - France 24 (in French). 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  7. ^ a b c "Mali : au moins 25 soldats et 15 djihadistes tués lors d'intenses combats". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  8. ^ a b Carayol, Rémi. "Au Mali, l'armée paie par le sang la faillite de l'Etat". Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  9. ^ a b c "Après la mort de soldats, des Maliens manifestent malgré le deuil national". France 24 (in French). 2019-10-03. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  10. ^ a b c d "Mali: au moins 25 soldats maliens et 15 jihadistes présumés tués au combat". RFI (in French). 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  11. ^ "Le Mali annonce avoir "neutralisé" 50 "ennemis", libéré 36 soldats". LEFIGARO (in French). 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  12. ^ "Sahel: les groupes terroristes ensemble pour prendre le Burkina Faso". RFI (in French). 2019-10-03. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  13. ^ a b "Mali: le groupe jihadiste GSIM revendique les attaques de Boulkessi et Mondoro". RFI (in French). 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  14. ^ "Mali : l'armée affirme avoir " neutralisé " cinquante jihadistes depuis Boulkessy – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  15. ^ Malian Armed Forces (October 5, 2019). "Les blessés sont au nombre de 17 dont 11 grave et 6 légers. Ils sont repartis entre l'hôpital et l'infirmerie de la garnison de Sévaré". Twitter. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  16. ^ magazine, Le Point (2019-11-02). "Mali : l'EI revendique l'attaque meurtrière contre un camp de l'armée". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  17. ^ Forestier, Patrick (2019-10-11). "Mali : Minusma et Barkhane en difficulté, spectre des Russes en vue". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  18. ^ "Attaques de Boulkessi et Mondoro : Le JNIM revendique et confirme détenir deux otages dont le commandant du camp de Boulkessi". kibaru.ml (in French). 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  19. ^ "Mali: l'armée engage de "gros moyens" pour reprendre des positions aux djihadistes". LEFIGARO (in French). 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  20. ^ "Mali: la discrète communication des autorités sur Boulkessi interroge". RFI (in French). 2019-10-03. Retrieved 2023-09-08.

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