Mali armed forces strike armed groups near Dagabory

The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) neutralized two armed pick-up vehicles and a group of combatants on Tuesday, July 28, near Dagabory in the Sokolo district of the Ségou region.

According to the army general staff, the targeted combatants were affiliated with both the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The precision strike was executed during a reconnaissance patrol under Operation Dougoukoloko, with ground forces verifying intelligence before neutralizing the targets alongside strategic partners and continuing search sweeps to secure the surrounding area.

The operation comes amid a growing operational alignment between JNIM and the FLA, who have increasingly coordinated tactical strikes against Malian military forces since early 2026 despite maintaining distinct political objectives. Malian authorities view this cooperation as an attempt to undermine state authority and compromise security operations along critical transit corridors. Located along key routes connecting central and northern Mali, the Dagabory area is frequently exploited by insurgent groups as a staging ground for movements and ambushes against state representatives.

Launched in April 2025 as the successor to Operation Maliko, Operation Dougoukoloko serves as Mali’s primary military platform against armed groups, operating under a command headquarters in Sévaré across the Ségou, San, Mopti, Bandiagara, Douentza, Timbuktu, and Taoudéni regions. By targeting insurgent mobility and disrupting militant alliances near Dagabory, the Malian Armed Forces aim to reinforce territorial control, safeguard civilian populations, and protect essential transport routes across central Mali.

MD/te/Sf/lb/abj/APA