Mali families are living in a state of suspended sorrow following a jihadist attack on a military stronghold in central Mali earlier this month. The assault on the Dioura camp, claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), resulted in significant casualties. Ibou, a 25-year-old student, whose father is a soldier stationed at the camp, expressed the anguish felt by many families. "Uncertainty is the worst feeling," he said, as his family awaits news of his father's fate.
The scale of the tragedy has been acknowledged by a security source in the region, who described it as "unprecedented" for the Malian army. The army has not released an official casualty count, but it did acknowledge losses, a rare admission. Mali's ruling junta generally remains silent regarding the scale of its casualties in the conflict that has ravaged the west African nation since 2012. The junta's stronghold near the capital, Kati, is relatively spared from the larger conflict.
JNIM released several videos on its propaganda channels showing dozens of men it said were soldiers captured at the camp. According to the group, there are 93 captives in total. In one of the videos, dozens of men in military uniform are seen sitting in the bush, with one speaking to the camera in Bambara. The captive called upon "influencers, the authorities and anyone who can take action" to help them return to their families. JNIM is demanding the release of its own detained members in exchange.
Awa, a 25-year-old from Gao in the north, finally discovered her older brother was being held prisoner when she saw him in a JNIM video. She described a feeling "of both relief and anguish." After unsuccessfully appealing to the army for information, Awa's experience is shared by many families who are seeking news of their loved ones. The jihadists often stage videos featuring their captives, who serve as bargaining chips with authorities.
Russian paramilitaries, supporting the Malian junta in its fight, briefly returned to the site to bury Malian soldiers' bodies and retrieve those of the Russians. A local official source told AFP that some Malian soldiers were buried in mass graves, while the Russians recovered their own dead. Witnesses saw burned bodies at the camp after the paramilitaries left. The attack has intensified the conflict in Mali, which has expanded its grip in recent months.
The conflict in Mali has intensified following a major offensive by JNIM and Tuareg allies from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). In mid-July, at least 50 other soldiers lost their lives in northern Mali when a coalition of Tuareg separatists and jihadists ambushed an army convoy. The Malian military "now needs to negotiate to save" those captured, according to one father who spotted his son alive in the JNIM videos.
One Malian father, who spoke to AFP, said that he spotted his son alive in the JNIM videos after the army told him the young man had died. The father called for peace, stating "we need to make peace now. The war has gone on too long and there are no winners." The situation in Mali remains dire, with many families uncertain about the fate of their loved ones and the conflict showing no signs of abating.
Key points
- At least 100 soldiers and five Russian paramilitaries died in the assault on the Dioura camp.
- JNIM released videos showing 93 captured soldiers, demanding the release of its own detained members in exchange.
- The Malian army's silence on casualties has added to the anguish felt by families of the soldiers.
