Suspected fighters of the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) on Friday unleashed a devastating assault on a Malian army base in Soumpi, Tombouctou region, leaving more than 20 soldiers dead, including the base commander and his deputy.
Security sources said the heavily armed insurgents stormed the base in a coordinated attack, arriving on motorcycles and pickup trucks before engaging troops in fierce gunfire that lasted several hours. Despite resistance from the soldiers, the militants eventually overpowered the base, seizing military vehicles, weapons, and ammunition before retreating.
Several soldiers were also reported injured or missing after the onslaught, which local residents described as one of the bloodiest attacks on government forces in northern Mali in recent months.
Reinforcements from nearby military units were later dispatched to Soumpi to secure the area and evacuate casualties. As of Saturday morning, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) had not issued an official statement on the incident.
JNIM, which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, has stepped up its insurgency across northern and central Mali in recent weeks, targeting army posts, security convoys, and civilian settlements. The latest attack underscores the group’s growing strength and the persistent insecurity plaguing the region despite intensified military operations.
Residents say fear now grips surrounding communities, as militants continue to assert control over remote areas once patrolled by government forces.
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