Mali’s military government reported that it thwarted a “terrorist” attack early Tuesday morning in the capital, Bamako, as armed assailants targeted a military police training school and other locations near the city’s airport. The attack, claimed by the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), resulted in gunfire and explosions, leaving two security personnel wounded.
The assault began before dawn when gunmen attempted to infiltrate the Faladie gendarmerie school, located in the southeastern outskirts of Bamako near Modibo Keita International Airport. Residents in the area reported hearing heavy gunfire and seeing plumes of smoke. The airport was briefly shut down as security forces responded to the attack.
⚡️🇲🇱 Dans la matinée du 17 septembre à Bamako, une attaque terroriste a visé l’école de gendarmerie de Faladié, faisant des victimes, écrit l’agence malienne Bamada en se référant à des sources locales.
https://t.co/hDPspYH6PC pic.twitter.com/4o5k220AyS— African Initiative (@Afrc_Initiative) September 17, 2024
Mali’s army issued a statement confirming that “mopping-up operations” were underway in the affected areas, urging civilians to avoid the vicinity. The situation was declared “under control” by midday, and state television broadcast footage of approximately 20 prisoners, blindfolded and tied, in military custody. The military also aired images of three bodies, believed to be attackers.
J’adresse mon soutien aux forces de l’ordre, et particulièrement à l’école de la gendarmerie de faladie attaque et le Camp 101 de l’armée de senou
Je salue le courage et le sang-froid dont ils ont fait preuve devant ces actes inacceptables.Ndomamma pic.twitter.com/UIlFNIYKTD
— ndomamma (@ndomamma) September 17, 2024
Although JNIM claimed to have targeted both the gendarmerie school and the military airport, the army did not confirm any damage or casualties at the airport. However, they did acknowledge the attempted infiltration at multiple “sensitive points” around the capital.
JNIM, an Islamist insurgent group active in the Sahel region, has been waging a militant campaign in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for over a decade. The group has launched numerous attacks across Mali, but this is one of the rare occasions they have struck Bamako directly. JNIM’s statement referred to the attack as a “special operation” and claimed it inflicted heavy losses on Malian forces, though the government has downplayed these claims.
The attack comes as Mali’s military government, which took power in a 2021 coup, continues to grapple with the country’s worsening security situation. In the past, Mali relied on support from France and UN peacekeepers to combat insurgent groups, but the junta has since severed ties with these traditional allies. Instead, Mali has sought assistance from Russia, bringing in Wagner Group mercenaries to help combat the insurgency.
Despite these efforts, militant groups like JNIM and Islamic State affiliates remain active, particularly in northern and central Mali. The violence has displaced thousands and caused significant instability throughout the region. The military government has been criticized for its handling of the insurgency, with some accusing it of human rights abuses during joint operations with Wagner forces.
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