Malian Army Convoy Under Rebel Attack in Gao, Casualties Reported CITY, Mali — A Malian army convoy departing the strategic town of Anefis faced an ambush by Tuareg separatists on Saturday morning, military and security officials confirmed.
The attackers, from the Tuareg separatist movement FLA and the Al — Qaeda-linked jihadist group JNIM, briefly occupied Anefis on July 4 as part of a series of coordinated strikes across Mali.
A military source in Gao told AFP, “Our convoy, heading from Anefis to Gao, was attacked near Tabankort. It was an ambush. “.
The FLA also confirmed the incident.
The Malian army sustained heavy losses, despite the remainder of the convoy managing to continue, a security official stated.
The FLA has released images they claim to be of dozens of army prisoners. Prior to the ambush, violent clashes in Anefis left approximately 30 Malian soldiers dead and 60 wounded, as reported by the general staff on July 12.
On July 10, the Malian army, with support from Russian paramilitaries of Africa Corps, reclaimed control of Anefis after days of fierce combat. Mali has been addressing a jihadist insurgency since 2012.
The attack on the army convoy underscores the ongoing instability in the region and the challenges faced by the Malian government and its forces in maintaining control amidst various factions seeking to assert their influence.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Africanews
Source: AfricaNews
