Bombardment of Ametettai explained

Conflict:Bombardment of Ametettai
Place:Ametettai, Kidal Region, Mali
Date:March 4–5, 2014
Partof:Mali War
Result:French victory
Combatant1: France
Combatant2: al-Mourabitoun
Commander1:Unknown
Commander2:Omar Ould Hamaha
Abdelwaheb al-Harrachi
Casualties1:None
Casualties2:11 killed
Several injured

Between March 4 and 5, 2014, French forces conducted a bombing campaign in the Ametettai mountains of Kidal Region against al-Mourabitoun. The bombings killed Omar Ould Hamaha, a prominent jihadist commander, and several other militants.

Background

During the initial days of Operation Serval, French forces launched raids against Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and other jihadist groups in their headquarters in the Ametettai mountains in rural Kidal Region. Chadian forces fought a major battle in the Ametettai mountains during the Battle of Ifoghas in February and March 2013. In January 2014, American-made Reaper drones bought by France were used in Mali for the first time.[1]

Bombardment

On March 4, French observation drones spotted a group of jihadists in the Ametettai valley. According to the French minister of defense Jean-Yves Le Drian, around ten militants had rocket launchers and an arms cache. French fighter jets then came back to Ametettai in the late afternoon of March 4, and launched airstrikes five hours later.[2] The jihadists shot back with a single rocket attack, but it missed.

A Malian army official stated eleven jihadists were killed in the bombing. A few others were injured, and were able to escape.[3] French intelligence stated Omar Ould Hamaha, a prominent jihadist commander, and Abdelwaheb al-Harrachi were killed in the attack.[4] [5] These statements were disputed by AQIM spokesperson Abou Assem al-Moujahir, who claimed Hamaha was still alive and that the French statements were unfounded.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2014-03-06 . Mali: nouvelle opération antiterroriste de l'armée française . 2024-02-24 . Le Figaro . fr.
  2. Web site: à 20h01 . Par Le 6 mars 2014 . 2014-03-06 . Mali : une dizaine de combattants d'Aqmi tués par les forces françaises . 2024-02-24 . leparisien.fr . fr-FR.
  3. Web site: 2014-03-07 . Une dizaine de combattants d'Aqmi tués dans le nord-est du Mali . 2024-02-24 . RFI . fr.
  4. Web site: 2014-03-14 . Mali: mort d'un important jihadiste . 2024-02-24 . RFI . fr.
  5. News: 2014-03-21 . Plus de 40 djihadistes ont été tués dans le nord du Mali par les forces françaises . 2024-02-24 . Le Monde.fr . fr.
  6. Web site: 2014-04-13 . Aqmi dément la mort d'un de ses chefs annoncée par Paris . 2024-02-24 . www.rtl.fr . fr-FR.