Battle of Akabar
Battle of Akabar | |||||||
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Part of Mali War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France Mali MSA GATIA | Islamic State in the Greater Sahara Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | ~60 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
None 1 killed, 2 wounded 3 killed, 5 wounded | 20-30 killed (per France and MSA) Several captured (per MSA) |
- v
- t
- e
Tuareg rebellion (2012):
- 1st Ménaka
- 1st Aguelhok
- Tin-Hama
- In Emsal
- 1st Andéramboukane
- 1st Tessalit
- 1st Niafunké
- 1st Tinzaouaten
- Tinsalane
- 1st Goumakoura
- 1st Tessit
- Sudere
- 1st Kidal
- 1st Timbuktu
- 1st Gao
- 1st In-Delimane
- Tagarangabotte
- 2nd Ménaka
- Khalil
- In Arab
Foreign intervention:
- Operation Serval
- AFISMA
- Chadian military intervention
- EUTM
- MINUSMA
- Konna
- 2nd Gao
- Diabaly
- 3rd Gao
- 4th Gao
- Ifoghas
- Panther
- 5th Gao
- In Khalil
- Timetrine
- 1st Kidal attack
- Imenas
- Tin Keraten
- Tigharghâr
- 1st Djebok
- 2nd Timbuktu
- 6th Gao
- 3rd Timbuktu
- 2nd Kidal attack
- 1st Ber
- Hamakouladji
- 1st Anéfis
- 2nd Anéfis
- Fooïta
- Douaya
- 2nd Tessalit
- Amazragane
- 1st Araouane
- 3rd Kidal attack
2014
- Kondaoui
- Tamkoutat
- 1st Ametettai
- Dayet
- Inabohane and Ebahlal
- 2nd Kidal
- 2nd Aguelhok
- 3rd Anéfis
- 1st Tabankort
- 2nd Indelimane
- 2nd Ametettai
- N'Tillit
- 2nd Tabankort
2015
- 1st Nampala
- Ténenkou
- 3rd Tabankort
- Tabrichat
- Bamako restaurant
- 4th Kidal attack
- 1st Léré
- Tin Telout
- Nara
- Takoumbaout
- Sama Forest
- 1st Gourma-Rharous
- Sévaré hotel
- 4th Anéfis
- Tiébanda
- Bamako hotel
- 5th Kidal attack
- 1st Talahandak
2016
2017
- 6th Gao
- 1st Boulikessi
- 2nd Gourma-Rharous
- Foulsaré Forest
- 1st Dogofry
- 1st Serma Forest
- Bintagoungou
- Kangaba
- Inkadogotane
- 2nd Djebok
- Takellote
- 4th Timbuktu
- Tin Biden
- 3rd Indelimane
2018
- 4th In-Delimane
- Youwarou
- Soumpi
- Inaghalawass
- 2nd Araouane
- Akabar
- 5th Timbuktu
- Aklaz and Awkassa
- 1st Talataye
- Tabarde
- 1st Boni
- Inabelbel
- Soumouni
- 2nd Dogofry
- Ndaki
- 2nd Ber
- Farimake
- Tinabaw and Tabangout-Tissalatatene
- Abanguilou
2019
- Koulogon
- 2nd Serma Forest
- Taghatert and West Inekar
- 4th Aguelhok
- Elakla
- Dialloubé
- Diankabou
- 1st Dioura
- Ogossagou
- Tiésaba-Bourgou
- Guiré
- Sobane Da
- Gangafani and Yoro
- Fafa
- 2nd Boulikessi
- 5th In-Delimane
- 4th Tabankort
- 3rd Ménaka
- 1st Wagadou Forest
2020
- Dioungani
- Sokolo
- 1st Tarkint
- 1st Bamba
- 2nd Talahandak
- Bouka Weré
- Bankass
- Coup
- 1st Farabougou
- Sokoura
- 3rd Boulikessi
- Tadamakat
- Niaki
2021
- Wedding airstrike
- Boulikessi and Mondoro
- 2nd Boni
- 2nd Tessit
- 5th Aguelhok
- Coup
- 2nd Tarkint
- Karou and Ouatagouna
- Dangarous Forest
- Nokara
- Bodio
- Mopti
2022
- Archam
- Danguèrè Wotoro
- Mondoro
- Ménaka
- 2nd Andéramboukane
- 3rd Tessit
- 2nd Talataye
- Tadjalalt and Haroum
- Moura
- Hombori
- Mopti Region
- Diallassagou
- Bandiagara
2023
- Markacoungo
- Diafarabé and Koumara
- Kani Bonzon
- 5th Timbuktu
- 3rd Ber
- Tombouctou and Bamba
- Bourem
- 2nd Léré
- 2nd Dioura
- 2nd Bamba
- Kidal Region
- 4th Kidal
- 2nd Niafunké
- Labbezanga
- 2nd Farabougou
2024
- Kwala
- Douna
- 2nd Wagadou Forest
- Mourdiah
- Abeïbara
- Djiguibombo
- 2nd Tinzaouaten
The battle of Akabar took place on April 1, 2018, between French and Malian forces aided by Tuareg rebels against Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
Prelude
The Menaka region of southeast Mali, near the borders of Niger and Burkina Faso, has been a hotbed of jihadist violence since 2016 and 2017 when the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara exercised control over it, along with Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, a coalition of five al-Qaeda aligned jihadist groups that have rebelled against the Malian government since 2012. Just prior to the battle of Akabar, on March 28, 2018, joint Franco-Malian forces launched an operation to combat JNIM and ISGS, with the Franco-Malian forces aided by the local Tuareg militant groups Movement for the Salvation of Azawad and Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies, along with the Nigerien government.[1]
Battle
A skirmish broke out near the village of Akabar on April 1, 2018, in an area under heavy ISGS influence.[1] In response, French forces deployed a group of commandos and air support to combat the sixty ISGS militants on motorcycles.[1] The clashes lasted until nightfall, at which point the French commandos, Malian soldiers, and MSA and GATIA fighters retreated from the area.[1] The troops returned the following morning to conduct reconnaissance, by which point the jihadists had fled.[1]
Aftermath
The French general staff stated on April 5 that there were no French losses, but that Malian soldiers were killed.[1] The French government also estimated that thirty jihadists were "neutralized" in the battle.[1] The MSA released a statement on April 1 affirming twenty "bandits" had been killed, and some were captured.[2][3] The MSA statement also claimed that three MSA and GATIA fighters were killed, and five injured.[4] The leader of the MSA, in an interview with RFI on April 23, claimed over a dozen Tuareg fighters had been killed, and 30 to 40 jihadists had been killed.[5]
Bruno Guibert, the commander-in-chief of Operation Barkhane, stated the battle was fought jointly by JNIM and ISGS, adding that the attack was not jointly planned by either group and rather shared goals between the two groups in that singular instance.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mali: 30 jihadistes tués dimanche par les forces françaises et maliennes". L'Express (in French). 2018-04-05. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ "Une nouvelle opération "ciblée" attribuée à la force Barkhane au Mali". RFI (in French). 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ "Tuareg alliance reports more clashes with Islamic State-loyal militants | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ à 13h59, Par Le Parisien avec AFP Le 5 avril 2018 (2018-04-05). "Mali : 30 djihadistes tués par l'armée et les forces de Barkhane". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-10-30.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Invité Afrique - Moussa Ag Acharatoumane: au Mali, "nous combattons une organisation criminelle"". RFI (in French). 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ Hugeux, Vincent (April 20, 2018). ""Face à Barkhane, un ennemi aux abois"". L'express. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
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