Raid on Tabankort (2014)
| Raid on Tabankort | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mali War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 al-Mourabitoun | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | Ahmed al-Tilemsi † | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None |
7 killed 3 captured | ||||||
Between December 10 and 11, 2014, French forces ambushed militants from al-Mourabitoun near Tabankort, Gao Region, Mali. The ambush led to the death of Ahmed al-Tilemsi, the founder of MOJWA and a key figure in al-Mourabitoun.
Ambush
[edit]Following "opportunity intelligence" received by the French army, French forces conducted an operation against a group of jihadists suspected to be active in the locality of Tabankort.[1][2] The Malian Ministry of Defense stated that French and Malian forces were carrying out a joint operation in the area, but France claimed that Malian forces did not participate; only intelligence and local authorities.[3] The raid began at dawn, with French special forces ambushing a camp where around fifteen jihadists were gathered. The jihadists tried to fight back, but all were subdued.[3][4]
Aftermath
[edit]The Malian Ministry of Defense stated ten jihadists were killed or captured in the raid, with a follow-up statement detailing seven killed and three captured.[5][6] Among the dead was Ahmed al-Tilemsi, the emir of MOJWA and a senior figure in al-Mourabitoun.[7] The French did not report any losses.[5]
Al-Mourabitoun confirmed Tilemsi's death along with six other fighters in a message given to Mauritanian news agency Alakhbar on January 6, 2015.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Neutralisation d'un groupe armé terroriste au Mali par une opération conjointe des forces maliennes et Barkhane". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ "Mali: l'un des chefs du Mujao et dix de ses hommes "neutralisés" par l'armée française". lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ a b "Mort d'Ahmed al-Tilemsi: les détails de l'opération française". RFI (in French). 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ "La France élimine un émir djihadiste malien". Le Figaro (in French). 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ a b "Neutralisation d'un groupe armé terroriste au Mali par une opération conjointe des forces maliennes et Barkhane". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ "Mali : la mort d'Ahmed el-Tilemsi, un coup dur pour le Mujao et Belmokhtar - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ La-Croix.com (2014-12-11). "La France élimine un important dirigeant djihadiste au Sahel". La Croix (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- ^ "Alakhbar | Mali : les forces françaises tuent le chef jihadiste, Ahmed Telmissi". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.