In a fresh round of strikes in the junta-led nation amid a resurgence of violence in the larger Sahel, suspected jihadists targeted military sites in multiple cities in western Mali early Tuesday, according to the military and locals. Mali has been attacked by criminal gangs, separatist movements, and organizations associated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group for over ten years.The Malian army has been the target of two significant strikes by jihadists in the past month alone.According to an AFP report, no group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attacks, despite the fact that they matched the characteristics of jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), which is affiliated with al-Qaida. In a statement, the Mali army claimed that “coordinated attacks carried out very early this morning” had targeted seven of its sites in the west. There was no death toll reported.The attacks in at least four places were confirmed by local politicians and residents.“This morning, we were shocked when we woke up. One Kayes resident told AFP, “There’s gunfire, and I can see smoke billowing towards the governor’s residence from my house.”One person called the shooting “intense” and another said they took refuge at home while the attack continued.The governor’s mansion was the initial source of the explosion, according to a military source, but “by the time we got organized, there was already gunfire at the camp.” On Facebook, a local political leader stated that “the region of Nioro woke up in shock” and that the towns of Gogui, Sandare, and Nioro had been singled out.The military has identified seven towns in western Mali, including Diboli, which is situated right on the Senegalese border.According to a study by the Timbuktu Institute, a research center located in Dakar, JNIM intends to expand from its position in Mali to Senegal and Mauritania.The military of Mali stated in a statement on Tuesday that it was monitoring the situation surrounding the most recent attacks “very closely” and would give further information later.The strikes follow two significant ones that Islamists have claimed in the past month. An army base and its airfield were the targets of a concerted attack on June 2 in the northern Mali city of Timbuktu.That incident happened the day after at least 30 troops were slain in a brutal raid in the country’s center.In recent weeks, jihadists have also stepped up their attacks in the wider Sahel area, conducting raids not just in Mali but also in Burkina Faso and Niger.Although the military juntas in the three Sahelian republics promised to prioritize security during the coups that brought them to power, they are finding it difficult to stop the jihadists’ progress.
