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Battle of Andéramboukane (2022)

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Coordinates: 15°25′21″N 3°1′9″E / 15.42250°N 3.01917°E / 15.42250; 3.01917
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Battle of Andéramboukane
Part of Mali War
Date4–5 June 2022
Location
Andéramboukane, Mali
Result Islamic State victory
Belligerents
GATIA
MSA
Mali		 Islamic State in the Greater Sahara
Commanders and leaders
Moussa Ag Acharatoumane
El Hadj Ag Gamou
Sidi Ghaly		 Abu al-Bara al-Sahrawi
Casualties and losses
20 (per GATIA)[1]
67 (per ISGS)		 70 (per MSA)
100 (per GATIA)

The Battle of Andéramboukane occurred between 4 and 5 June 2022, during the Ménaka offensive of the Mali War. The pro-government militias Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA) and Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA) attempted to retake the Islamic State-held town of Andéramboukane but were unsuccessful.

Background

In March 2022, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) launched an offensive in the Ménaka Region of eastern Mali, held predominantly by pro-government Tuareg militias.[2] By April, ISGS fighters had killed 300 to 500 civilians in Ménaka region, mainly Tuaregs.[3] ISGS captured Andéramboukane on March 12, and the town, previously populated by around 20,000 residents, became a "ghost town."[4][5][6]

By May, the ISGS offensive had stalled, although they still controlled a swath of territory by the Malian border, including Andéramboukane and the surrounding towns of Infoukeraten, Tadjalalt, Ichinanane, and Tamalat.[7] Around the end of May, ISGS went on the offensive again, attacking the towns of Aghazraghen Igadou, Emis-Emis, and Inekar, east of the regional capital of Ménaka.[6][7] These attacks failed, and prompted GATIA and the MSA to prepare for a counter-attack on Andéramboukane.[8][9]

Prior to the Tuareg offensive, the Malian Army had been relatively inactive in the region, with only a mainly-Tuareg group called GTIA 8 being present in the area. GTIA 8 was commanded by El Hadj Ag Gamou, the overall commander of GATIA, and many GTIA 8 troops had close ties with GATIA.[6][8]

Battle

On June 4, GATIA and MSA forces entered Andéramboukane without a fight, capturing the city.[7][8] However, France24 alleged the jihadists knew about the Tuareg incursion beforehand, and let them enter the city.[9] The next morning, ISGS began a counter-attack on the town.[6] GATIA and the MSA left the city to pursue the IS fighters, but were ambushed in Tadjalalt, suffering heavy losses and being forced to retreat to Ménaka.[8][9] After several hours of fighting with remaining Tuareg forces in the center of Andéramboukane, ISGS regained control of the city.[7]

Losses and aftermath

The exact death toll is unknown.[4] Fahad Ag al-Mahmoud, the secretary-general of GATIA, claimed twenty "friendly" fighters were killed, and a hundred jihadists were killed.[8] Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, the leader of the MSA, alleged on June 9 that 70 ISGS fighters were killed during the fighting.[10] Both Moussa Ag Acharatoumane and El Hadj Ag Gamous denied claims they were injured, although Sidi Ghaly, a Tuareg commander during the battle, was wounded.[8]

The Islamic State reported 67 Tuareg soldiers were killed, eight vehicles captured, and seventeen destroyed.[8] On June 22, the Islamic State released a large graphic photo report showing the bodies of more than 45 Tuareg soldiers alongside captured and destroyed vehicles, and a large quantity of captured weapons and ammunition.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "A la frontière Mali-Niger, l'Etat islamique repousse une alliance de milices loyalistes". liberation.fr (in French). 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  2. ^ "Plusieurs dizaines de combattants et de civils tués dans le nord du Mali". France 24 (in French). 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  3. ^ "Mali : les raisons de l'offensive de l'EIGS dans la région de Ménaka – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  4. ^ a b "Au Mali, affrontements meurtriers entre djihadistes et Touaregs". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  5. ^ "Mali : le Gatia dénonce le silence des autorités face aux massacres de civils". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  6. ^ a b c d "Mali: violents combats contre le groupe jihadiste EIGS à Anderamboukane". RFI (in French). 2022-06-06. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  7. ^ a b c d Mali : tensions politiques à Bamako et échec d'une opération contre le groupe État islamique. FRANCE 24. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Macé, Célian. "A la frontière Mali-Niger, l'Etat islamique repousse une alliance de milices loyalistes". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  9. ^ a b c "Sahel : le groupe État islamique multiplie les attaques à la frontière Mali-Niger". France 24 (in French). 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  10. ^ Nasr, Wassim [@SimNasr] (9 June 2022). "Selon @Mossa_ag #MSA « l'#EI #Sahel a perdu pas moins de 70 combattants dans la bataille » #Andaramboukane #Ménaka https://t.co/RrbwpiBqmw" [According to @Mossa_ag #MSA "#IS #Sahel lost no less than 70 fighters in the battle" #Andaramboukane #Ménaka] (Tweet) (in French). Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.

15°25′21″N 3°1′9″E / 15.42250°N 3.01917°E / 15.42250; 3.01917

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