Jihadist assault on Dioura camp kills dozens of Malian troops and captures others

The Dioura military installation in central Mali's Mopti region was hit by a large-scale assault on Thursday, which sources say killed between 60 and 80 soldiers and resulted in the capture of several dozen more. The attack, claimed by jihadists, prompted the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) to declare total control of the barracks on its communication channels. Security officials confirmed that many of the captured troops remain in the hands of the militants.

This incident is part of a broader campaign by JNIM and its Tuareg allies that began in late April, targeting the junta that seized power after coups in 2020 and 2021, and includes the recent seizure of the northern city of Kidal and the assassination of the defence minister. Mali has endured a decade-long security crisis fueled by jihadist groups, criminal gangs and separatist forces, while its government has shifted away from France toward closer ties with Russia. The Dioura raid marks one of the deadliest attacks on the Malian army since the conflict began.