Allegedly Clashes occurred between the JNIM Battalion and IS in Gao Province, Mali

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 9th, it has reported an armed attack perpetrated by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslim in (JNIM)[1] battalion areas in Gurma District, Western Gao province, Mali, which is known to be under the control of Islamic State (IS). As various sources reported, JNIM militants assaulted Zorani village, Gao province, and robbed different residents. Later on, near the Osadia village, Ansongo District, Mali, it observed the IS armed attack against the JNIM battalion, killing more than 12, and intercepting the car of  Ilyas Amad Mussa[2], one of the major Al-Qaeda field commanders, as stated by one of the various versions reported, capturing and executing him. 

In 2020, rumors were circulating regarding the attempts of  JNIM members to negotiate a ceasefire in the Sahel region with the Islamic State (IS), intending to concentrate forces against the Wagner PMC Group and National Security Armed Forces like the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA)[3], which, however,  allegedly, didn’t bring any stable and enduring agreement between the two groups due to the JNIM trespass on IS territories.

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[1] Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) is a Salafi-jihadist coalition formed in 2017, consisting of pre-existing jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda, including Ansar Dine, Al-Mourabitoun, and Al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). It operates in the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, along the border with Niger, and, in some cases, crossing into these countries.

[2] It’s been reported that last year Ilyas Amad Mussa recorded a message before attacking IS positions. Moreover, allegedly, he was suspected as one of the provocateurs of the tension and conflict with the IS.

[3] According to research data, approximately 90% of FAMa operations have been conducted with the support of Wagner units.