2014 Tabankort raid
| Raid on Tabankort | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Mali War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| File:Flag of France.svg France | File:Flag of Jihad.svg 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 | edit source]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 | edit source]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
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