Mali fights yet another wave of attacks on multiple cities by terror groups
A coalition of Al Qaeda and Tuareg separatists attacked more than five cities and towns from the northeast to the southwest of Mali across a 1,700 km axis on July 4.
President of Mali Assimi Goïta. Photo: AP
On Saturday, July 4, Malian armed forces fought off yet another wave of coordinated attacks on multiple cities across the country by the Al Qaeda-affiliated JNIM and a Tuareg separatist group, the FLA (Azawad Liberation Front).
The attacks began early that morning on army positions in the cities of Aguelhok, Anefis, Gao, Sevare, and Kenieroba, along a 1,700-km-long axis stretching from the country’s northeast to its southwest.
“All attacks were vigorously repulsed,” the army said in a statement that afternoon, reporting that one soldier was killed and four injured defending Gao, capital of the region by the same name.
Repelling the attack on this largest city in eastern Mali – whose strategic location makes it a critical hub for transport and military logistics – the army said it killed six terrorists and destroyed the vehicles they used in the attack.
It reported killing another 20 terrorists on motorcycles and gun-mounted vehicles in the central Malian city of Sévaré, about 570 km and a 10-hour drive to Gao’s southwest.
While the “aerial and ground sweep operations” continue, the “situation is completely under control,” the army added in that press release.
Later in the day, however, terrorists in large numbers stormed the town of Konna just over 50 km north of Sévaré, it added in a separate statement. With support from Russia’s Africa Corps, a key security partner of Mali, the army “repelled” this attack.
In the meantime, more members of terror groups, displaced from elsewhere, were regrouping less than 30 km south of Sévaré to attack Soufouroulaye, a village community that lies in between. They were “routed by an air and ground operation,” the army said, adding that “the human and material toll of these two coordinated operations is particularly heavy for the enemy.”
The southernmost area attacked on July 4 was Kenieroba, about 60 km southwest of the national capital, Bamako. The target here was reportedly a major prison where Al Qaeda fighters are held. However, no successful prison breaks have been reported, indicating the attack here was also repelled.
The battle for Anéfis
By the day’s end, the army was able to “control the situation in all the localities targeted by enemy attacks,” it said in another statement. “However, on the morning of July 5, 2026, fighting resumed in Anéfis following the arrival of enemy reinforcements in personnel and equipment,” it explained, adding that the soldiers continued to “fight throughout the day with courage and discipline.”
Located in the remote far north, Anéfis is just over 100 km from the city of Kidal, which fell to these terror groups during a similar, multi-front attack across different cities just over two months ago, on April 25.
Read: “Sovereignty will be consolidated”, reiterates Malian president after “foreign-sponsored” terror attacks in six cities
Anéfis and Aguelhok are the last footholds of the Malian military in the Kidal region, and retaining control is crucial for the army to eventually mount an offensive to recapture the city. Conversely, displacing the army and the Africa Corps from Anéfis is crucial for the terror groups to secure their hold on Kidal.
