A week after jihadists stormed a military camp in central Mali, hundreds of civilians are still fleeing Farabougou as militants consolidate control over the town.
Zig Diaries Defence
Date: Monday, 25 August 2025
Time: 14:00 WAT
Location: 📍 Bamako, Mali
The withdrawal of Malian troops has left Farabougou under the rule of Al-Qaeda-linked fighters, underscoring the fragile security situation despite Russian-backed military campaigns.
Local and security sources confirm that the army has abandoned its garrison in
Farabougou, roughly 300 kilometres north of Bamako. The site is now held by the
Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), which claimed responsibility
for the raid.
Mali’s army
described its retreat as a tactical move, promising to regroup and return. No
official casualty figures have been released from the assault.
The takeover
marks another gain for JNIM, the Al-Qaeda affiliate driving an insurgency across
the Sahel. The group continues to reject state authority and impose its strict
version of Sharia law in captured zones.
Since the
2021 coup, Mali’s junta has cut ties with France and leaned on Moscow for
military support. Russian paramilitaries, first Wagner and now Africa Corps,
are entrenched in the fight — but vast swathes of territory remain vulnerable.
Fact-Check
and Background Context
Farabougou has faced repeated jihadist blockades since 2020, when residents
were trapped for months until a shaky truce was negotiated.
The latest assault reflects a wider regional trend: in the past two years, jihadist groups linked to both Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have expanded operations in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, displacing millions.
JNIM, formed in 2017 from a merger of Sahel jihadist factions, has become the most dominant insurgent group in the region.
Despite Russian reinforcements, the Malian army struggles to hold rural garrisons, leading to frequent tactical withdrawals that cede ground to militants.
🏷 Tags: Mali, Farabougou, JNIM, Sahel, Terrorism, Defence,
Wagner, Africa Corps
#ZigDiariesDefence #Mali #Sahel #JNIM #Defence
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