On November 24, 2017, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin ambushed Nigerien MINUSMA peacekeepers and Malian soldiers in the village of Indelimane, Mali.
| 2017 Indelimane ambush | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mali War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Mali |
 Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin Islamic State in the Greater Sahara | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
 3 killed, 17 injured 1 killed, 1 injured | 2 killed | ||||||
Prelude
editJama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin was formed in 2017 as a coalition of five different jihadist groups that had been rebelling against the Malian government since 2012.[1] Prior to the attack in Indelimane, the group attacked a MINUSMA base in Timbuktu.[2] On the same day of the Indelimane ambush, JNIM attacked a MINUSMA base in Douentza, killing one MINUSMA peacekeeper and injuring three others.[3]
Ambush
editThe ambush occurred at 5am at a MINUSMA camp in the village of Indelimane, Ménaka Cercle.[3] The attack was marked by a rain of rockets that hit the peacekeepers and Malian troops, which was followed up by a frontal attack by the jihadists.[4] MINUSMA reported that several attackers were killed, and the ambush was repulsed.[5] The peacekeepers then sent out in pursuit of the attackers.[6]
Aftermath
editThree MINUSMA peacekeepers were killed in the ambush, along with sixteen others injured and one civilian employee injured.[3] The Malian government stated one Malian soldier was killed and one injured.[3] A Nigerien contingent of peacekeepers were on patrol at the time of the attack.[7]
JNIM claimed responsibility for the attack on November 25, and released a statement claiming five Nigerien soldiers were killed along with two JNIM fighters.[8][9] Interviews with witnesses to the attack reported that fighters from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara participated in the ambush, in the first confirmed collaboration between the two groups.[10]
In early 2018, GATIA and the MSA, alongside French troops, fought several skirmishes against JNIM and the Islamic State in the vicinity of Indelimane.
References
edit- ^ "Mali: Enabling Dialogue with the Jihadist Coalition JNIM". www.crisisgroup.org. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Mali : une attaque contre l'ONU à Tombouctou fait 6 morts – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b c d "Le Groupe de soutien à l'islam et aux musulmans revendique les attaques meurtrières au Mali". France 24 (in French). 2017-11-25. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "La situation en Syrie et en Irak a des répercussions au Mali, selon la Minusma". RFI (in French). 2017-11-24. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Mali: trois casques bleus et un soldat malien tués dans une attaque vers Ménaka". RFI (in French). 2017-11-24. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Quatre Casques bleus et un soldat malien tués dans deux attaques au Mali – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Attaques contre la MINUSMA et les forces armées maliennes (24.11.17)". France Diplomatie : : Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ DPA (2023-11-28). "Al-Qaïda revendique un attentat au nord-est du Mali contre des Casques bleus". La Libre.be (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "JNIM revendique les attaques de Ménaka et Douentza et déplore des pertes dans ses rangs". kibaru.ml (in French). 2017-11-25. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Nsaibia, Heni; Weiss, Caleb (July 2020). "The Islamic State and al-Qa'ida go to war in West Africa" (PDF). Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Retrieved July 21, 2024.