Comments

You have commented 375 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Africa North

Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso launched joint airstrikes against militants

2026-05-02

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Combined forces from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali carried out airstrikes on militant positions in northern Mali, Niger's press service reported.

"The Government of Niger welcomes <…> the swift and decisive response of the Joint Forces units, which carried out intensive air campaigns following the cowardly attacks, " Africanews quoted the cabinet as saying on April 30.

The republic's authorities also accused foreign countries, primarily France, of sponsoring the terrorist attacks that occurred in Mali last weekend. The Niger government canceled nationwide parades planned for May 1st due to security concerns.

On April 25, militants attacked Bamako-Sénou International Airport in Mali, as well as the country's largest military base located nearby. Explosions and gunshots were heard at the scene. The republic's military command reported that same day that the situation in several districts of the country had been brought under control.

According to the Malian Foreign Ministry, terrorist groups simultaneously attacked military installations in several cities: Bamako, Kati, Sevare, Gao, and Kidal. Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed during the fighting.

On April 28, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Afrika Korps fighters had prevented a coup d'état in Mali. They repelled a superior militant force numbering approximately 12,000. According to the ministry, mercenaries from Ukraine and Europe were involved in the coup plot.

On April 30, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia will continue to help fight terrorism and provide assistance to the Malian authorities.

From Skidmark’s comment, below, for future searchability: the parties to the conflict are the Mali military government and Russia’s Africa Corps, Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM-Al Qaeda in the Maghreb), Islamic State - Sahel Province (ISSP) Note that Wikipedia describes JNIM as

Salafi Jihadist organisations in the Maghreb and West Africa formed by the merger of Ansar Dine, al-Mourabitoun and the Saharan branch of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Its emir Iyad Ag Ghali swore allegiance to al-Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and the Taliban's leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in 2017. In the early 2020s, JNIM was reported to be the fastest-growing militant organization in the world. As of 2025, it is considered the most heavily armed militant group in the Sahel and one of the most powerful globally.

Posted by:badanov

#2 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: trailing wife 2026-05-02 12:24

#1 comments); ?>werwer

Posted by: Skidmark 2026-05-02 09:19

00:00