On Tuesday, 17 September 2024, Bamako, the capital of Mali, was the target of coordinated attacks claimed by the JNIM. At least two military sites, including a gendarmerie training facility, were raided as early as 5 a.m. The targeted sites were the Faladié Gendarmerie School and Airbase 101, located near the city’s international airport. Affiliated to Al-Qaeda, JNIM or the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims has been waging a brutal campaign of terror against Mali and the outcome of this attack is still unknown, although we expect casualties.

Of note, Airbase 101 is Mali’s primary drone base and where Russia’s mercenaries of Wagner maintain a presence, reportedly as their primary base.

The Malian military managed to repel the attack with clashes that lasted hours.  At the end of the day, the junta issued a communiqué to confirm that the access restrictions to Bamako Airport, the Modibo Keita Sénou International Airport, have been lifted starting 4 PM local time, as a sign that calm has been restored.

Speaking on the event, Malian opposition leader abroad, Moahmed Ag Ahmedou, told The North Africa Journal that “The triple terrorist attack by JNIM on the Air Force base, the National Gendarmerie Academy, and the large territorial brigade in Faladie sends a strong message to Assimi Goita’s autocratic junta that Mali is falling to terrorism. I would say that Mali is heading toward disaster due to the inefficiency of our Malian armed forces.”

Despite a return to some normalcy, these latest attacks on the capital have raised new concerns about the security of Mali’s biggest city. While the city has been largely spared from terror attacks since the 2015 Radisson Blu hostage crisis and a 2022 assault on the Kati military camp outside the city, insurgents have pledged to enter Bamako and have since been working to gradually push their operations closer to Bamako.