2013 Tessalit attack
2013 Tessalit attack | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
2 killed 6 injured | 5 killed | ||||||
1 civilian killed 3 civilians injured |
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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
- 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
- Mourdiah
- Abeïbara
- Djiguibombo
- 2nd Tinzaouaten
On October 23, 2013, Katiba Salahadin militants attacked Chadian peacekeepers in the city of Tessalit, sparking a battle between the militants and Chadian and French forces. The attack was the first attack by jihadists targeting MINUSMA peacekeepers during the Mali War.
Background
Tessalit, in northern Kidal Region, was the site of the second battle of the Mali War, when moderate Tuareg forces of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and jihadist fighters from Ansar Dine besieged Malian troops at the Amachach base in Tessalit, and captured the city after two months.[1] Following the Malian counteroffensive in 2013, Chadian peacekeepers from MINUSMA and French forces of Operation Serval were stationed in the city.
Attack
Around 9:40am on October 23, a VBIED driven by suicide bombers targeted Chadian peacekeepers at a roadblock in front of the headquarters of Tessalit Cercle in Tessalit.[2][3][4] Shortly afterward, three other suicide bombers between the ages of 17 and 30 equipped with vests carrying Chinese 60mm mortar shells and AKMs rifles ran towards the peacekeepers. Two of the suicide bombers were shot dead before they could reach the peacekeepers, but the third one managed to blow himself up.[5] This suicide bomber caused the deaths of two Chadian soldiers.[5]
Other jihadists then began swarming positions of the Chadian army. One group first shot light weapons in the early afternoon, and a second group shot rockets at Chadian forces from a position seven kilometers from the city.[5][6] French forces in the city helped Chadian forces with engineering and medical elements.[7] Jihadist forces withdrew from Tessalit in the early afternoon.[4]
Aftermath
The attack was claimed the same day by Sultan Ould Bady, commander and founder of Katibat Salahadin. His katiba was a brigade in MOJWA, but had recently defected to Ansar Dine. Around the time of the attack, Bady's katiba was assumed to be operating largely on its own.[8]
A UN spokesman stated two Chadian soldiers were killed in the attack, and six others were injured. The Chadian government and Malian Minister of Defense both confirmed this assessment.[3] In the same statement, the UN stated a civilian was killed in the attack, with the Malian defense minister clarifying a child was killed. Three civilians, including a child, were injured as well.[4]
A Malian military officer stated four suicide bombers were killed, and the Chadian Army revised this number to five killed.[6][9]
References
- ^ "Rébellion au Nord-Mali : le camp militaire de Tessalit tombe aux mains du MNLA - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Mali : attaque contre les positions de l'armée tchadienne à Tessalit - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ a b "Deux soldats de l'ONU et un civil tués dans un attentat suicide au nord du Mali". France 24 (in French). 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ a b c "Tessalit, première attaque terroriste contre les casques bleus au Mali". RFI (in French). 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ a b c "Au Mali, les groupes djihadistes se réorganisent et multiplient les attaques". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2013-10-24. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ a b "Mali: attaque à la voiture piégée à Tessalit dans le nord du pays". RFI (in French). 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "L'armée française reste en première ligne au Mali". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2013-10-28. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Focus sur les groupes armés qui minent le Mali". www.your-domain.com. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Mali : l'attentat de Tessalit revendiqué par un groupe proche d'Aqmi - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-29.