At least 50 Malian soldiers and five Russian paramilitaries from Africa Corps were killed Thursday in a major jihadist assault on the Dioura military camp in central Mali, according to security and local sources.
The attack was claimed by the al-Qaida-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and is considered one of the deadliest blows suffered by Mali’s military since the country’s security crisis began around 15 years ago.
Several sources reported an even higher death toll, estimating that between 60 and 80 soldiers may have been killed. Dozens of others were also reportedly taken hostage.
A military officer involved in the operation said the losses exceeded 50 personnel, including five members of Africa Corps. Another security source in Mopti reported more than 60 soldiers killed and around 60 others captured, while a local official put the death toll at at least 80.
The conflicting figures could not immediately be independently verified.
Mali has faced a severe security crisis since 2012, driven by attacks from jihadist groups, Tuareg separatists linked to the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), and various community-based armed groups.
The country, currently ruled by a military junta, has strengthened its ties with Russia, whose Africa Corps forces have been assisting Malian troops in their fight against jihadist organizations.
The security situation has deteriorated further since late April 2026, when JNIM fighters and their FLA allies launched coordinated attacks against military and strategic positions in several parts of the country, including areas around the capital Bamako. The violence has also claimed the life of Mali’s defense minister.
Malian authorities later reported carrying out air and ground operations against the attackers around Dioura, saying several suspected militants traveling on motorcycles had been targeted.
Residents described the situation as uncertain following the intense fighting. Local accounts said the military camp was left largely empty after the initial assault, while armed men later returned to the area before leaving several hours afterward.
Helicopters were subsequently seen patrolling the region and carrying out strikes around the outskirts of the town. Local civil society representatives said dozens of soldiers had been killed.
Dioura has been repeatedly targeted by jihadist and separatist forces in recent years. JNIM claimed responsibility for the deaths of around 40 soldiers there in May 2025.
In another major attack last July, at least 50 Malian soldiers were killed when Tuareg separatists and jihadist fighters ambushed a military convoy withdrawing from the strategic northern town of Anéfis toward Gao.
