Siege of Timbuktu
Siege of Timbuktu | |||||||
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Part of the Mali War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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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
The jihadist organisation Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) has imposed a complete blockade upon the city of Timbuktu, Mali since 8 August 2023.[1] Since the beginning of the siege, 33,000 have fled the city and the surrounding areas to other nearby localities, while 1,000 others have fled to Mauritania. Intense shelling of the city has occurred throughout the siege.[2] The blockade has sparked food and aid shortages in the city. The siege began after the withdrawal of MINUSMA, the United Nations mission to Mali during the Mali War.[3]
Siege
On 26 August, shelling near the Malian Solidarity Bank by jihadists killed a child and injured 4 other people, according to an army spokesman and a hospital source.[4] Four days later, on 30 August, JNIM said they had shelled the military airport in Timbuktu, which they claimed was being used by Wagner Group mercenaries.[5] On 11 September, Sky Mali, the last commercial airline still flying to Timbuktu, said they'd cease flights to the city due to the deteriorating security situation. Shell firing was reported at the airport on the day of the announcement.[6] In a JNIM shelling of Timbuktu on 21 September, two were said to have been killed, with five injured.[7] the death toll was updated to five dead the next day.[8] On 27 September, JNIM claimed to have attacked a Malian military base near Timbuktu, initially with a car bomb, and then seized the base after heavy fighting. JNIM never specified casualties, nor did the FAMA confirm any loss of the base.[9]
Due to mediation from local chiefs, insurgents briefly agreed to allow food trucks in to the city, although this decision was quickly reversed after they alleged that the Wagner Group and Malian military were exploiting this to commit atrocities.[10] Despite the blockade, locals still held an annual festival in December 2023 to promote unity and resilience in the face of the siege.
References
- ^ "In Mali, Timbuktu grapples with resurgent jihadist threat". Archived from the original on 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ "Mali's ancient city Timbuktu under siege again". Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ "Islamist Blockade on Timbuktu Stops Food and Aid as Prices Spike". 2023-08-28. Archived from the original on 2023-09-13. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Shelling Kills One Child In Timbuktu, Mali". www.barrons.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- ^ "Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Attack Against Timbuktu Military Airport, Alleges It Houses Wagner Group And Malian Soldiers". MEMRI. Archived from the original on 2023-09-21. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- ^ Diallo, Tiemoko (2023-09-11). "Commercial flights halted to Mali's Timbuktu amid Islamist blockade". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-09-22. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
- ^ "Attack kills at least two people in Mali's besieged city of Timbuktu". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-30. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Staff Writer; France-Presse, Agence. "Attack kills five in Mali's Timbuktu: Governor". www.zawya.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Malian army suffers car bomb attack near Timbuktu – The North Africa Post". Archived from the original on 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Timbuktu: Mali's ancient city defies jihadist siege to stage a festival". 2023-12-19. Archived from the original on 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-03-07.