Tagarangabotte ambush
Date | 16 November 2012 |
---|---|
Location | Between Ansongo and Ménaka, Mali |
Result | MLNA victory |
Azawad
Islamists
Moulay Ag Sidi Molla
Omar Ould Hamaha
60 pickups
1 pickup destroyed
(according to the MNLA)
17-70 wounded
3 pick-up trucks destroyed
(according to the MNLA)
- v
- t
- e
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
- 1st 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
- 2nd Wagadou Forest
- Mourdiah
- Abeïbara
- Djiguibombo
- 2nd Tinzaouaten
The Ambush of Tagarangabotte took place during the Internal conflict in Azawad. A MUJAO column en route to Ménaka fell into an ambush by the MNLA.
The ambush
MUJAO launched an attack on 16 November against the independence MLNA forces in Ménaka, while the latter continued their attacks aimed at retaking the town of Gao. According to statements by Moussa Ag Assarid, in charge of Communication and Information of the MLNA, on 16 November at 10 am, a column of MUJAO vehicles was ambushed by the MNLA at Tagarangabotte, in the east, from Ansongo on the road to Ménaka. According to the first assessment of the MNLA, none of its fighters were killed, but nine were wounded and one vehicle was destroyed, while the Islamists had more than 20 dead and dozens wounded and three vehicles destroyed.[1][2][3]
MNLA spokesman Hama Ag Sid'Ahmed said:"Two armed MNLA brigades led respectively by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Machkanani Ag Balla and the leader of the commando groups, Colonel Moulay Ag Sidi Molla opened crossfire early this morning November 16 around 11 am in the locality of Ansongo and of its environs (near the town of Gao) held by terrorist groups of Mujao and those of Belmokhtar."[4]
In an interview with Le Temps de l'Agérie, published on 19 November 2012, Hama Ag Sid'Ahmed stated: "MNLA troops are positioning themselves against the terrorist groups that have gathered around Ansongo (one position 30 km away and another 50). In the morning, MNLA mobile troops opened fire on both positions of terrorist groups in the area. The MNLA opens crossfire. The terrorist groups had initially sent the new recruits to the fire. The real terrorists stayed behind. It was only mid-day on November 16, when the terrorists noticed that their recruits were falling and that the terrorist ambulances quickly took over to evacuate a few dozen dead and nearly 60 to 70 wounded. Some terrorist leaders had come forward and engaged in hostilities. These are those who came to create the Mujao with the help, Pakistanis (instructors and strategists), Tunisians and Moroccans, including those who had been rejected by Western Sahara officials. Some fighters and heavy weapons belonging to the group of Benlmoctar entered the fights against the Tuareg towards the end of the day of November 16th. There was a coalition of terrorists coming from all over against the Tuaregs. It must be said that the MNLA Chief of Staff, Machkanani Ag Balla, went straight with his group to join the terrorist camp. And the other MNLA brigades also followed. The fighting was very violent. A huge fire blanket was coming from both sides. The MNLA, at the beginning of the day of 17 November, had taken account of its losses. Indeed, there were 3 seriously wounded and 6 light and no death was lamented in the ranks of Tuareg fighters during these fights."[5]
According to Ibrahim Ag Assakeh, a member of an MNLA delegation in Ouagadougou, the ambush was happened 50 kilometers west of Ansongo, 13 MUJAO fighters were killed and 17 wounded, as against 9 wounded men on the MNLA side, including a serious one. He also added that the fighting continued . Colonel Mechkanine, number 2 of the MNLA staff, was among the wounded. The success of the MNLA, however, seems to have been only temporary and insufficient to stop the Islamist offensive, according to a security source from Burkina Faso, the same day the MUJAO attacked elements of the MNLA in the village of Idelimane to 80 kilometers of Ménaka, the last bastion of the MNLA. According to the same source, "The Mujao has taken a lot of prisoners and taken two vehicles, there have been deaths."[6][7][8][9][10]
References
- ^ "Nord du Mali: combats entre islamistes du Mujao et rebelles touareg du MNLA". LExpress.fr. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Actualités". Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Nord-Mali : Le MNLA dément avoir subi des pertes | Algérie1". Algerie1.com. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Le MNLA affronte Mokhtar Belmokhtar et le Mujao". Lematindz.net. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ ""Des Marocains et des personnes rejetées par le Polisario ont participé aux combats aux côtés du Mujao et d'Aqmi"". Djazairess.com. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Le MNLA fait subir une défaite cinglante aux terroristes du MUJAO et d'AQMI - Your Joomla! Site". Toumastpress.com. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ magazine, Le Point (16 November 2012). "Nord du Mali: combats entre islamistes du Mujao et rebelles touareg du MNLA". Lepoint.fr. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Mali: les hommes du Mujao s'emparent de Ménaka". Rfi.fr. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Le MNLA passe à l'attaque à Gao". Lemonde.fr. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "UN COMBATTANT DU MNLA TÉMOIGNE AU TEMPS D'ALGÉRIE, Comment s'est déroulée la bataille contre le Mujao". Algerie360.com. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
16°16′00″N 0°03′00″W / 16.2667°N 0.0500°W / 16.2667; -0.0500