Two of the Malian military’s outposts near Burkina Faso have been attacked by jihadists, but repelled with French help.
The French Ministry of Defence said during the night of 23-24 January, the military camps at Mondoro and Boulikessi, both located on the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, were the subject of a simultaneous attack.
Faced with an enemy determined to enter both holdings, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) immediately gained the upper hand over their adversary and held their position, supported in particular by their Tucano aircraft.
Less than an hour after the alert given by the FAMa, the French-led Barkhane force launched a patrol of Tiger helicopters which went to support the FAMa. At the same time, a Mirage 2000 patrol flew over the two camps.
The Tigers engaged an enemy column, neutralising a dozen jihadists on motorcycles.
In the early morning, the enemy having disbanded, Barkhane launched a medical evacuation of wounded soldiers, supported by a Tiger helicopter.
At Boulikessi, several dozen jihadists were thus neutralized, two pick-ups and five motorcycles were destroyed and 40 motorcycles were seized. Seven motorcycles were seized at Mondoro, the French Ministry of Defence said.
The FAMa reported four soldiers killed and 12 wounded in Boulikessi and two killed and six wounded in Mondoro.
