Al-Qaeda Sahel faction uses drones to strike Russian Africa Corps convoy
A drone attack hit a Russian Africa Corps convoy near Niono in central Mali, with the GSIM claiming several Russian casualties.
A convoy belonging to the Russian Africa Corps was attacked by drones while patrolling a few kilometres east of Niono in central Mali. The Group of Support for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) asserted responsibility, reporting that the assault resulted in several Russian personnel being killed and wounded. This incident reflects the GSIM's growing reliance on low-cost quadcopter drones, some fitted with explosive payloads, for operations throughout the Sahel region.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), the organization led by Iyad Ag Ghali has executed 130 drone attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, and has also conducted strikes in Togo and Niger since their first use in a 2023 assault on the village of Korondali. The attack underscores the expanding aerial capabilities of jihadist groups in West Africa.
Why it matters
It shows jihadist groups in the Sahel are acquiring drone technology, raising security risks for foreign forces.
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