In Mali, Ménaka prepares for the next terrorist attack by the EIGS

The town of Ménaka, in northern Mali.

Wikimedia Commons / Animali

Text by: David Baché

3 mins

In Mali, the situation is more precarious than ever in the northeast of the country, and especially in Ménaka.

For several months now, the EIGS, the Sahelian branch of the Islamic State group, has been carrying out deadly offensives to take control of this border area of ​​Niger and Burkina.

The last offensive took place in Talataye, three weeks ago

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Two days ago, on Monday, ISGS fighters on motorcycles approached Ménaka.

This time around, they left it at that.

But the city, capital of the eponymous region - more than 20,000 inhabitants in normal times and several thousand displaced people who have arrived in recent months - is the main future target of the EIGS.

This is unanimously explained by the security sources contacted by RFI.

Some of them believe that the locality of Tidermène, about 75 kilometers north of Ménaka, now controlled by the Jnim (Support Group for Islam and Muslims) linked to AQIM, could be attacked beforehand.

Reinforcements and stocks

For several weeks, the two jihadist groups who have been fighting over this part of Malian territory, the Jnim and the EIGS, have been receiving reinforcements.

They come in particular from the center of the country for the Jnim, from Niger, Nigeria or Algeria, for the EIGS. 

The Islamic State group is also stockpiling: according to concordant local civilian and security sources, several villages in the circle of Ansongo (Seyna, Bara and Wiha) were attacked by the EIGS at the beginning of last week: no casualties, but food reserves and livestock were looted.

What serve as reserves, but also as sources of income, thanks in particular to the resale of heads of cattle.

Ultimatums were sent to other villages, whose inhabitants were ordered to leave, such as Herba.

Several groups of ISGS fighters also met in Tabankort last week to coordinate.

General mobilization of the Platform

While the two rival jihadist groups try to take precedence over each other, armed groups in northern Mali, signatories of the 2015 peace agreement, are trying to protect civilian populations.

The Platform, which notably brings together the MSA (Movement for the Salvation of Azawad), on the front line since the start of the attacks, and the Gatia (Tuareg Imghad self-defense group and allies), announced this weekend the mobilization of its fighters, called to regroup at key sites and prepare for combat.

If the ex-rebels of the CMA, also signatories of the 2015 peace agreement, have not made any announcement to date, a reflection is underway within the movement on its future involvement in the battle.

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What about the Malian army?

The Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries, present in Ménaka, have so far not taken part in any combat in this part of Malian territory.

The transitional authorities have never communicated on any of the massacres committed in the area since last March.

To the greatest dismay of the local populations who express, off the microphone, their fears and fear of being voluntarily abandoned to their fate by the transitional authorities.

Asked several times by RFI about its activities in the area, the Malian army has never followed up.

On the side of the armed groups of the Platform, theoretically allied with the Malian State, we deplore the lack of support from the Fama (Malian Armed Forces) in the face of an enemy like the EIGS, which immediately threatens the inhabitants of the region. Ménaka but also, in the longer term, the whole country and the sub-region.

The EIGS is particularly well established in neighboring Niger.

According to the United Nations, three quarters of the Ménaka region are already under the domination of the EIGS.

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