Malian army says about 100 terrorists neutralised in northern operations
Dakar, July 9
The Malian forces have neutralised about 100 terrorists during operations carried out on Wednesday in the areas of Anefis and Tabrichat in northern Mali, authorities said on Thursday.
In a statement, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said the Malian Armed Forces, in coordination with their partners, continued operations against armed terrorist groups it described as affiliated with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims and the Azawad Liberation Front.
According to the statement, the operations involved 13 airstrikes, destroying six combat vehicles and one pickup truck, Xinhua news agency reported.
The general staff reaffirmed the army's determination to continue operations against armed terrorist groups across the national territory.
The Malian army said on Tuesday that more than 200 terrorists were neutralised during coordinated air and ground operations carried out in Anefis in the country's northern Kidal region.
According to a statement issued by the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Monday's operations involved 35 airstrikes. The provisional toll also included five armoured vehicles, around 20 pickup trucks and about 100 motorcycles destroyed
The army said operations by the Malian Armed Forces and their partners were continuing in Anefis, reaffirming its determination to pursue actions against armed terrorist groups until the set objectives are achieved.
The operations came after attacks on July 4 targeting several localities in Mali, including Aguelhok, Anefis, Gao, Sévaré, and Kenioroba. The Malian army said at the time that it had repelled the attacks.
Mali has faced a volatile security situation for years, with attacks by armed groups occurring frequently, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country.
In April, the country's Defence Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack on his residence in the town of Kati, near Bamako, carried out by armed terrorist groups.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartbreaking to see the violence in Mali, especially the killing of Defence Minister Camara. As an Indian, I feel for the Malian people who just want peace. These operations sound effective, but civilian casualties must be avoided at all costs. Terrorism has no religion - it's a cancer that needs a global solution.
Impressive coordination by the Malian army and partners. 35 airstrikes in one day shows serious commitment. But numbers like '100 terrorists neutralised' always make me skeptical - who verifies these tolls? In Afghanistan, we saw how inflated figures can be. Hope they're being transparent.
As an Indian, I watch this with mixed feelings. We face similar threats from cross-border terrorism. The Azawad Liberation Front sounds like another separatist outfit - reminds me of our own challenges. But Mali's situation is more chaotic with multiple groups. India should offer counter-insurgency training to their forces. We have decades of experience in these matters.
Wait, 200 terrorists neutralised on Monday, then 100 more on Wednesday? That's 300 in a few days. While I'm not doubting the military's capability, these numbers seem high for a region that's already volatile. Are we sure these aren't just regular people caught in the crossfire? The West has made this mistake before.
India should take note - these groups like GSIM and Azawad Liberation Front could spread to other regions. The more we ignore Africa's security issues, the more they'll affect global stability. Proud of Mali for taking a stand, even if the
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.