Mali Security Crisis Deepens After Fresh Rebel Attacks

After the latest coordinated attacks carried out against Mali, the country faces another major security crisis. Military forces in Mali have stated that attacks were carried out on five different places last Saturday and that the attackers are aiming at the military installations in these locations.

The attacks took place two months after the previous attacks in the country. These attacks have raised further security concerns in the West African country despite the current military efforts going on in the country.

Where Have the Attacks Taken Place?

According to the reports of the Malian army, these attacks have taken place in the following locations:

Aguelhok (Northern Mali)
Anefis (Kidal region)
Gao (Northern Mali)
Sevare (Central Mali)

Kenieroba which is located around 74 kilometers southwest of Bamako

Military officials have stated that the attacks started early Saturday morning.

Later on, the army announced that government forces had managed to regain control of the attacked regions. It added that “the situation was totally under control.”

Casualties and Military Reaction

Mali’s military claimed that they had killed 26 suspected militants, which included:

20 fighters in Sevare
6 fighters in Gao

Also, it was learned that one pro-government fighter died, while another four were injured in the attacks in Gao.

Military operations continue as soldiers keep searching for the militants who could have run away after the attacks.

Who Is Behind These Attacks?

One of the militant groups, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) took the responsibility of attacking Anefis.

The spokesperson of the group stated that fighters had infiltrated the town in the early hours of Saturday. The clashes between the government forces and the militants are still continuing.

The Azawad Liberation Front is a Tuareg separatist movement, fighting for greater autonomy—or independence—for northern Mali. In recent months, it has been collaborating with some of the armed Islamist groups operating in the region.

Officials have not been able to identify the militants’ groups that conducted the attacks in Gao, Sevare, Aguelhok, and Kenieroba.

Why is Anefis a Strategic Location?

Anefis has emerged as one of the strategic places for the army due to the recent conflict in the Kidal area.

This year, separatists and militants captured Kidal, which forced the army to shift its location to other neighboring towns such as Anefis and Aguelhok.

The locations have now emerged as some of the last places under the control of the government in northern Mali.

Kenieroba Prison Attack

Perhaps, the most outstanding attack happened at Kenieroba, where attackers tried to capture a significant prison complex.

Reports indicate that there was a fight around dawn, and it was claimed by locals that prisoners could hear the gunfire as the attack was happening.

Security Challenges in Mali

Mali has been battling years of conflict with Islamists associated with al-Qaeda and ISIS and Tuareg separatists demanding an independent state in Mali’s northern region.

In spite of several military operations and different political administrations, armed militia have been staging coordinated attacks on military positions and governmental institutions.

There have been recent attacks in Bamako, northern army camps, and supply routes, where the armed militia disrupted fuel delivery and electricity in some areas of the country.

The current coordinated attacks show that insurgents have the capacity to target different targets at the same time in spite of intensified military activities.

What Comes Next?

The Malian government has stated that the security forces have taken back control in the attacked cities, but military operations are ongoing as the authorities hunt down militants.

Analysts predict that the army will beef up security in key facilities in northern and central Mali while looking into whether the attack was coordinated by various armed militias.

Given the fact that there is ongoing fighting in parts of the Sahel, more attacks can be anticipated in the next few weeks.