A major militant attack on a military base in Boulkessi, central Mali, killed more than 30 Malian soldiers on Sunday, according to security sources. The attack was followed by another attack on an army camp in Timbuktu city on Monday, amid a surge in rebel violence in the Sahel region.
The Timbuktu base came under fire on Monday morning after militants launched an attack that involved an explosives-laden vehicle that detonated near the camp in the city center. Heavy gunfire was heard, sending UN personnel in the area seeking shelter. Locals stated heavy fighting near both the military facility and the city’s airport.
“The city is under fire,” a local journalist told reporters by phone. “Everyone returned home after gunfire was heard this morning.” Authorities confirmed the attack was carried out by armed extremist groups, but the death toll in Timbuktu remains unclear.
The attack on Sunday in Boulkessi was claimed by terrorist organization JNIM. The group said it had captured the base and forced Malian troops to withdraw. The Malian army acknowledged the loss but did not confirm the number of casualties. “Many men fought until their last breath to defend the nation,” the army said.
The latest militant attack is part of a broader escalation of violence in the region. Since the beginning of May, more than 400 soldiers have been reported killed in coordinated attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. JNIM also claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a base in Dioura on May 24, which reportedly killed 40 soldiers, and a raid on Sirakorola in southwestern Mali last week.
The group has launched several deadly attacks in Burkina Faso and Niger in recent weeks. In Niger alone, more than 100 soldiers were reported killed in two separate attacks late last month, but official figures have not been released.
The renewed wave of attacks underscores the growing threat posed by rebel militants in the Sahel, where governments struggle to maintain control over vast, volatile territories.