Al-Qaeda in Mali: soldiers killed on the road to the city of gold

30th January 2026

1 minute read

Al-Qaeda in Mali: soldiers killed on the road to the city of gold

Al-Qaeda’s tactics in Mali continue to rely on an economic siege combined with swift attacks targeting the army and its allies.

Fighters from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, carried out an attack in Mali on a convoy of dozens of fuel tankers, resulting in their destruction and the deaths of several soldiers and attackers, local officials told Agence France-Presse on Friday.

According to these sources, the attack took place on the road linking the Senegalese border to the Kayes region, known as the “city of gold,” in western Mali, with some officials reporting that dozens of tankers were destroyed.

For several months, the terrorist group has imposed a blockade on many Malian cities, creating fuel and supply shortages that have further intensified the suffering of the civilian population.

The group, which for nearly a year had been concentrated in central Mali, particularly in areas such as Mondoro, Bandiagara, Koro, Bankass and parts of the Ségou region, has begun to move gradually southward, toward regions closer to the capital.

This shift is not random, but rather a calculated tactic aimed at dispersing Malian army forces, which had focused their presence in the north and central regions to counter terrorist organizations.

Observers believe that these developments are part of an attempt by Al-Qaeda to regroup its strength and temporarily expand its area of influence, while reorganizing its ranks in preparation for launching future attacks in its traditional strongholds in the north.