Latest news with #UnitedStatesAfricaCommand
Saudi Gazette
03-06-2025
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out huge attack on Mali's army
BAMAKO — An al-Qaeda-linked group says it carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi and the seizure of an army base there. More than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday's attack, according to sources quoted by the news agency Reuters, however that figure has not been confirmed by the authorities. On Monday the same group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), said it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting hearing gunfire and explosions. Mali's army said in a statement late on Monday that it had repelled an "infiltration attempt by terrorist fighters" in Timbuktu, "neutralizing" 14 militants and arresting 31 suspects. It added that weapons, vehicles and other items were seized, but did not name the group responsible for the attack. The army said search operations across Timbuktu were ongoing. In an earlier statement, the army said it "reacted vigorously" to Sunday's attack, before "withdrawing" — suggesting a tactical retreat."Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation," the statement unnamed local source told Reuters that JNIM had left many casualties and "cleared the camp".Unverified video footage showed dozens of militants storming the base, including one which captured them stepping on bodies, according to Monday's attack, JNIM said its fighters had attacked a military airport and Russian and security sources told the AFP news agency they were "fighting back", but that the militants were "everywhere in the city".A local official said the attackers had arrived "with a vehicle packed with explosives" that detonated close to the army a UN World Heritage Site, was captured by Islamist militants in 2012 before they were driven out, but has once more been under siege in recent attacks, the latest sign of collapsing security in Mali and the wider Sahel region, came after the United States Africa Command warned about growing efforts by various different Islamist militant groups which operate in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa's a press conference on Friday, the commander of United States Africa Command (Africom), Gen Michael Langley, described recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling, warning that the groups' access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms is thought that more than 400 soldiers have been killed by militants since the beginning of last month in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Reuters reports. — BBC
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out huge attack on Mali's army
An al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi, and seized control of an army base. More than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday's attack, according to sources quoted by the Reuters news agency, however that figure has not been confirmed by the authorities. On Monday the same group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), says it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting hearing gunfire and explosions. In a statement responding to Sunday's attack, Mali's army said it "reacted vigorously", before "withdrawing" - suggesting a tactical retreat. "Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation," the statement added. An unnamed local source told Reuters that JNIM had left many casualties and "cleared the camp". The attacks, the latest sign of collapsing security in Mali and the wider Sahel region, came after the United States Africa Command warned about growing efforts by various different Islamist militant groups which operate in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa's coastline. During a press conference on Friday, the commander of United States Africa Command (Africom), Gen Michael Langley, described recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling, warning that the groups' access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking. It is thought that more than 400 soldiers have been killed by militants since the beginning of last month in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Reuters reports. Additional reporting by Simon Ponsford. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to form joint force to fight jihadists The region with more 'terror deaths' than rest of world combined 'I thought I would die' - freed captive tells BBC of life in West African jihadist base Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out huge attack on Mali's army
An al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi, and seized control of an army base. More than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday's attack, according to sources quoted by the Reuters news agency, however that figure has not been confirmed by the authorities. On Monday the same group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), says it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu. In a statement responding to Sunday's attack, Mali's army said it "reacted vigorously", before "withdrawing" - suggesting a tactical retreat. "Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation," the statement added. An unnamed local source told Reuters that JNIM had left many casualties and "cleared the camp". The attacks, the latest sign of collapsing security in Mali and the wider Sahel region, came after the United States Africa Command warned about growing efforts by various different Islamist militant groups which operate in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa's coastline. During a press conference on Friday, the commander of United States Africa Command (Africom), Gen Michael Langley, described recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling, warning that the groups' access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking. It is thought that more than 400 soldiers have been killed by militants since the beginning of last month in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Reuters reports. Additional reporting by Simon Ponsford. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to form joint force to fight jihadists The region with more 'terror deaths' than rest of world combined 'I thought I would die' - freed captive tells BBC of life in West African jihadist base Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Al Arabiya
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Airstrike, army attack kill dozens of al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia: Government
An airstrike by Somali forces killed 12 al-Shabaab militants in central Somalia and another 35 extremists were killed by the army in a southwestern area as they tried to attack a military base there, the government said on Thursday. The airstrike carried out late on Wednesday came hours after fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked group that has been waging an insurgency since 2007 attacked a strategic town in the area. Al-Shabaab, which wants to seize power and rule based on its own strict interpretation of Islamic law, briefly captured villages within 50 km (30 miles) of Mogadishu last month, raising fears among residents of the capital that the city could be targeted. Several senior al-Shabaab fighters were among those killed in the airstrike carried out by Somali forces and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in the central Adan Yabaal district, Somalia's government said. 'The targeted strike hit a site used by the militants as a gathering and hideout ... Importantly there were not civilian casualties,' the Ministry of Information said in a statement on the social media platform X. In a separate incident on Thursday, the national army killed at least 35 fighters near the city of Baidoa, the ministry said. Heavy fighting broke out on Wednesday in the town of Adan Yabaal, which lies about 245 km (150 miles) north of Mogadishu and has been used as an operating base for raids on al-Shabaab. The outcome of the battle was not immediately clear, with government forces and al-Shabaab giving conflicting accounts of who was in control of the town. Al-Shabaab said its forces had overrun 10 military installations during Wednesday's fighting. Somali forces have recaptured the villages briefly seized last month, but al-Shabaab has continued to advance in the countryside, leading the government to deploy police and prison guards to support the military, soldiers have told Reuters.
Ya Biladi
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Algeria joins Israel in the African Lion 2025 Exercise
The U.S. Army announced on Wednesday, via a press release, the official launch of the African Lion 2025 exercise, set to begin on April 14 in Tunisia. This is the flagship annual exercise of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). Additional maneuvers will take place in Ghana, Senegal, and Morocco starting in May, bringing together more than 10,000 troops from over 40 countries, including seven NATO allies. This year's edition is expected to be the largest in the history of the exercise. Since the normalization of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv on December 10, 2020, the Israeli army has participated regularly in these large-scale drills. Its presence—particularly on Moroccan soil—has now become routine. This year, African Lion will welcome new participants, including Algeria as an «observer member», as well as Qatar, according to the AFRICOM press release. The participation of the Qatari army alongside Israeli forces is not unexpected. Qatar is also listed among the countries taking part in the Iniochos 2025 air exercise, held in Greece from March 24 to April 13, with an F-15 aircraft. Algeria, for its part, does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, although President Abdelmadjid Tebboune mentioned during a February 2 interview with a French media outlet that normalization with the Israeli state was a possibility. The presence of Algerian military personnel at African Lion 2025—even as observers—on Tunisian, Senegalese, Ghanaian, or potentially Moroccan soil, marks a notable shift in the history of these exercises. It is worth noting that General Michael Langley, AFRICOM commander, made his third visit to Algeria on January 22, 2025, during which a memorandum of understanding for military cooperation was signed, according to a U.S. Embassy press release. Back in October 2020, during Donald Trump's presidency, Algeria declined a U.S. invitation to sign a military cooperation agreement during a regional tour by then–Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. In contrast, Morocco and Tunisia seized the opportunity.
