The Malian military has launched a counteroffensive after armed groups ambushed one of its convoys in the northern Gao region on Saturday, military officials said.
According to the army, the convoy came under attack near Tabankort while travelling from Anefis to Gao. Fighting was still ongoing at the time of the military's statement.
Two separate groups—the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA)—claimed responsibility for the ambush. In separate statements, they alleged that the attack caused significant casualties and destroyed military equipment.
The Malian army has not released official casualty figures but confirmed that its allied forces were also targeted during the assault, a reference believed to include Russian military contractors operating alongside government troops.
A military source in Gao described the incident as a planned ambush, saying the convoy was attacked shortly after departing Anefis.
Mali has faced a worsening security crisis for more than 14 years, with separatist and jihadist groups controlling parts of the country's north. The FLA is seeking independence for northern Mali, while JNIM continues to expand its influence across rural areas.
The conflict has fueled a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than five million people across Mali in need of humanitarian assistance.
The latest attack comes just days after the Malian army announced it had recaptured the strategic town of Anefis on July 10. That operation reportedly left about 30 soldiers dead and around 60 others wounded after intense fighting with FLA and JNIM fighters.
The situation in northern Mali remains highly volatile as military operations continue.
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