On January 4, 2024, the Malian military acquired six Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones. The military authorities say the drones will be used to “surveil the national territory, detect suspicious targets, track them and strike them, if necessary, with surgical precision.” Mali has been looking alternative suppliers of weapons after distancing itself from France. Weapon deliveries include those from Russia that took place in March and August 2022 and in January 2023.
Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali
Armed groups in northern Mali are shifting toward repeatable FPV drone strikes against Malian army and Russian-linked Africa Corps positions. Recent attacks in Anéfis and Aguelhok indicate a tactical evolution that challenges the assumption of operational sanctuary in the Kidal region.

