JNIM ambush kills 13 in Mali as militants seize weapons from African Corps convoy

The terrorist group JNIM (Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) has attacked a convoy of the African Corps, Russia, and the Malian military government.

The ambush occurred on September 9 near the village of Kaka, in the Mopti region. Available information indicates that the attack killed 13 soldiers among the Russian and Malian forces.

JNIM claimed to have seized 14 motorcycles, 2 PKM machine guns, 6 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 6 grenades, and a large quantity of ammunition.

Earlier on July 14, it was reported that rebels had attacked a military convoy in northern Mali, transporting soldiers of the Malian army and fighters of the “African Corps” of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

According to initial information, the convoy consisted of more than 200 Russian mercenaries and about a hundred Malian soldiers. The attack resulted in around sixty deaths among Malian soldiers, at least 30 prisoners, and dozens of wounded.

Similar attacks targeting military convoys occur frequently in the region, but neither Russia nor Mali has proposed a solution to address them.

JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) is one of the most powerful jihadist organizations in the Sahel and the official branch of Al-Qaeda in the region. Its name is often translated as “Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims.”

JNIM was formed on March 2, 2017, through the merger of several groups already active in Mali, including Ansar Dine, Al-Mourabitoun, Katiba of the Sahara Emirate (which is part of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), and Katiba Macina.

Mali remains the main base of JNIM, but the group has long expanded its operations beyond its borders. Its fighters are also active in Burkina Faso and Niger, and have strengthened their presence in Bénin and Togo in recent years.

Thus, JNIM is gradually extending its field of action from the central Sahel region to West African countries.