Siege of Timbuktu explained

Conflict:Siege of Timbuktu
Place:Timbuktu, Mali
Partof:the Mali War
Date: – present
Status:Ongoing
Combatant1: Mali
Wagner Group (alleged by JNIM)
Combatant2: Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
Commander1: Assimi Goïta
Commander2: Iyad Ag Ghaly

The jihadist organisation Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) has imposed a complete blockade upon the city of Timbuktu, Mali since 8 August 2023.[1] Since the beginning of the siege, 33,000 have fled the city and the surrounding areas to other nearby localities, while 1,000 others have fled to Mauritania. Intense shelling of the city has occurred throughout the siege.[2] The blockade has sparked food and aid shortages in the city. The siege began after the withdrawal of MINUSMA, the United Nations mission to Mali during the Mali War.[3]

Siege

On 26 August, shelling near the Malian Solidarity Bank by jihadists killed a child and injured 4 other people, according to an army spokesman and a hospital source.[4] Four days later, on 30 August, JNIM said they had shelled the military airport in Timbuktu, which they claimed was being used by Wagner Group mercenaries.[5] On 11 September, Sky Mali, the last commercial airline still flying to Timbuktu, said they'd cease flights to the city due to the deteriorating security situation. Shell firing was reported at the airport on the day of the announcement.[6] In a JNIM shelling of Timbuktu on 21 September, two were said to have been killed, with five injured.[7] the death toll was updated to five dead the next day.[8] On 27 September, JNIM claimed to have attacked a Malian military base near Timbuktu, initially with a car bomb, and then seized the base after heavy fighting. JNIM never specified casualties, nor did the FAMA confirm any loss of the base.[9]

Due to mediation from local chiefs, insurgents briefly agreed to allow food trucks in to the city, although this decision was quickly reversed after they alleged that the Wagner Group and Malian military were exploiting this to commit atrocities.[10] Despite the blockade, locals still held an annual festival in December 2023 to promote unity and resilience in the face of the siege.

Notes and References

  1. News: In Mali, Timbuktu grapples with resurgent jihadist threat . en . 2023-09-14 . 2023-09-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230914152136/https://www.theafricareport.com/321727/in-mali-timbuktu-grapples-with-resurgent-jihadist-threat/ . live .
  2. News: Mali's ancient city Timbuktu under siege again . 2023-09-14 . 2023-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002055208/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/mali-s-ancient-city-timbuktu-under-siege-again/2992331 . live .
  3. News: 2023-08-28 . Islamist Blockade on Timbuktu Stops Food and Aid as Prices Spike . en . 2023-09-14 . 2023-09-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230913071458/https://www.voanews.com/a/islamist-blockade-on-timbuktu-stops-food-and-aid-as-prices-spike/7244290.html . live .
  4. Web site: Presse . AFP-Agence France . Shelling Kills One Child In Timbuktu, Mali . 2023-09-25 . www.barrons.com . en-US . 2023-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002055208/https://www.barrons.com/news/shelling-kills-one-child-in-timbuktu-mali-e4956c03 . live .
  5. Web site: Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Attack Against Timbuktu Military Airport, Alleges It Houses Wagner Group And Malian Soldiers . 2023-09-25 . MEMRI . en . 2023-09-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230921092133/https://www.memri.org/jttm/al-qaeda-affiliate-gsim-claims-attack-against-timbuktu-military-airport-alleges-it-houses . live .
  6. Web site: Diallo . Tiemoko . 2023-09-11 . Commercial flights halted to Mali's Timbuktu amid Islamist blockade . 2023-09-25 . Reuters . en . 2023-09-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922015657/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/commercial-flights-halted-malis-timbuktu-amid-islamist-blockade-2023-09-11/ . live .
  7. Web site: Attack kills at least two people in Mali's besieged city of Timbuktu . 2023-10-01 . www.aljazeera.com . en . 2023-09-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930105349/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/22/attack-kills-at-least-two-in-malis-timbuktu . live .
  8. Web site: Staff Writer . France-Presse . Agence . Attack kills five in Mali's Timbuktu: Governor . 2023-10-01 . www.zawya.com . en . 2023-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230928071239/https://www.zawya.com/en/economy/africa/attack-kills-five-in-malis-timbuktu-governor-d7of5iwu . live .
  9. Web site: Malian army suffers car bomb attack near Timbuktu – The North Africa Post . 2023-10-01 . en-US . 2024-01-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240129001548/https://northafricapost.com/71608-malian-army-suffers-car-bomb-attack-near-timbuktu.html . live .
  10. News: 2023-12-19 . Timbuktu: Mali's ancient city defies jihadist siege to stage a festival. en . 2024-03-07 . 2024-02-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240227095255/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67732586. live .

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