Following coordinated attacks on July 1 that resulted in the deaths of ten Malian soldiers, the Malian Armed Forces launched a series of targeted operations across the Kayes and Nara regions. The attackers, identified as members of the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group, had targeted seven key locations, including Kayes, Niono, and Diboli.
In response, the military carried out air and ground operations that reportedly neutralized over 80 fighters and destroyed safe havens, logistics hubs, and a training camp in the Gal-Gal forest. Additional strikes near Madina Kagoro dismantled lookout shelters and secured surveillance equipment.
Malian military spokesperson Colonel-Major Souleymane Dembélé confirmed continued efforts to dismantle insurgent networks, reaffirming the army’s commitment to national security despite the scale of the recent attacks, which reached areas bordering Senegal.