For the first time since 2015, terrorists managed to strike the heart of the capital, challenging the already fragile stability of the region.

How the Attack Unfolded

Over the past two and a half years, JNIM has been noted as creeping closer to Bamako, indicating that the capital’s relative safety from terrorist violence was unlikely to last forever.

Soon after the sound of gunshots and explosions began echoing through the city on the morning of September 17, it was clear that terrorists had reached Bamako. These sounds marked the beginning of an hours-long JNIM assault on the Malian capital — one of the al-Qaeda affiliate’s most audacious and successful attacks to date.

Two locations were attacked almost simultaneously, with clashes first reported at a gendarmerie training school in Faladié. Fighting at the school, which lasted for over three hours, led to a majority of the purported 70 casualties.

A second group of fighters attacked Air Base 101, a government and military facility located on the southern perimeter of the civilian Modibo Keita International Airport in Sénou. Fighting lasted far longer at this base, and while JNIM killed far fewer security forces there, its fighters inflicted significant damage on buildings and planes.

Among the jets confirmed to have been damaged was the government’s Boeing 737, reported to have recently been used by leader Assimi Goïta, in addition to an aircraft used by the World Food Programme and one belonging to Sky Mali.

The images and footage of JNIM fighters freely wandering beside airplanes, as well as inside one of the country’s most strategically important sites, have served as compelling propaganda for the group.

By nightfall, the Malian military had repelled the attack and regained full control of the city. Malian authorities have not yet reported a casualty figure, admitting only that there had been “some” deaths, nor have they confirmed any of the speculated loss of aircraft.

JNIM, known to inflate its claims, reported having killed or wounded over 100 Malian and Russian military personnel, destroyed six military aircraft (including a drone), and disabled several others.

In final statement on Bamako attack, Al-Qaeda in Sahel (JNIM) claims go have killed and wounded over 100 of soldiers, destroyed 6 military aircraft including a drone, while partially disabling four. In addition dozens of military vehicles were burnt along other equipment #Mali https://t.co/9jtF7h8Vdt pic.twitter.com/jcJceC803E

— Paweł Wójcik (@SaladinAlDronni) September 17, 2024

The Attack’s Unique Dimensions

The attack on two such symbolic military sites sent a message to President Goïta. The assault on his former military base and images of a JNIM fighter setting fire to one of his planes underscore that the group has both the capability and desire to strike at Mali’s center of power.

Moreover, strictly attacking military targets, JNIM has again tried to differentiate itself from the junta, which it frequently accuses of killing civilians.

It is also telling that such a large-scale, coordinated attack was successful despite not targeting softer civilian targets.

JNIM’s success says much about the Malian security apparatus’ deficiencies, yet it equally reflects the group’s offensive capabilities, which have grown immeasurably over the past decade. JNIM’s evolution as a fighting force will undoubtedly continue further, much to the detriment of governments and militaries in the region.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect was revealed following the attack when JNIM reported that the operation was conducted by two teams of inghimasi (suicide fighters) from the sub-group Katiba Macina.

Salman al-Bambari, an ethnic Bambara of Bamako’s main ethnic group, headed the first unit that struck the gendarmerie school. Abdul Salam al-Fulani, an ethnic Fulani, one of the most prominent ethnic groups in West Africa, targeted the airport.

Fulani involvement in this attack would not alarm a Bamako resident or a government official, for the ethnic group is often associated with jihadists across the region. Yet footage of al-Bambari’s pre-attack vows being recited in Bambara is far more unprecedented.

This footage of the two commanders is an implicit decision by JNIM to underscore their trans-ethnic makeup, as well as demonstrate that their message can resonate with individuals from any background.

JNIM and Goïta’s Junta: Two Contrasting Fortunes

The attack in Bamako is yet another recent high-profile victory JNIM has been able to claim in Mali, with the group participating in the humiliating defeat of Malian and Russian troops in Tinzaouaten close to the border with Algeria toward the end of July.

While JNIM continues to enjoy great success in Mali, the Goïta administration is facing its most challenging period yet. Despite a range of threats confronting the junta, it is its recent inaction that has arguably done the most to undermine its hold on power.

The fatal defeat at the hands of JNIM and The Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security, and Development (CSP-PSD) in Tinzaouaten came largely as a result of the junta’s underestimation of the resources and manpower required to reestablish control over the area.

The defeat was a significant blow to the junta’s credibility, both domestically and internationally.

Evidence suggests that Goïta has sent another column from Gao to Kidal, from where it is anticipated to eventually head northward toward Tinzaouaten, with last week’s attack further raising the stakes for the military’s operations in northern Mali.

The importance of reclaiming the country’s north is often noted as being underappreciated by those in the West. However, how the junta has focused attention, personnel, and material on military operations against the CSP-DPA in northern Mali has come at a hefty price, with its heavy focus here playing a part in JNIM’s recent successes — including the attack on Bamako.

What Lies Ahead for Mali?

Tough decisions now lie ahead for the political leadership in Bamako.

Another major misstep could prove to be a fatal blow for Goïta, placing even more pressure on the success of Malian and Russian forces should they continue their touted northern incursion toward Tinzaouaten.

Yet a potential victory there will do little to solve the junta’s more existential threat of JNIM. Having now expanded and entrenched itself in the Koulikoro Region surrounding Bamako, the al-Qaeda affiliate will be difficult to displace, particularly if the government continues to deploy the same ineffective counterterrorism measures.

The attack on Bamako symbolizes the past failures of the Malian political leadership in combatting the violent extremist groups present inside its borders.

Unfortunately for the junta, this attack is likely also a look into the future. JNIM is likely to continue encroaching on the territory surrounding Bamako, gradually applying pressure on the capital via similar violent incursions, as well as through attacks on major roads leading to the city.

While the Malian government likely has the capacity to better defend the capital, doing so may come at the cost of protecting other strategically important locations in the country.

JNIM’s growing presence in southern Mali not only endangers Bamako and other major cities and towns, but also Mali’s gold mines, which are overwhelmingly found in the southern regions of Sikasso, Koulikoro, and Kayes.

The junta must now carefully balance these competing aims, for the loss of a town, city, gold mine, or other valuable sites could be the catalyst for yet another regime change.

Charlie Werb is an analyst, writer, and commentator focussing on sub-Saharan African security issues, with a particular emphasis on Islamist extremist groups in the region.

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Defense Post.

The Defense Post aims to publish a wide range of high-quality opinion and analysis from a diverse array of people – do you want to send us yours? Click here to submit an op-ed.

The post Bamako Breached: JNIM’s Capital Strike Signals Dangerous New Chapter for Mali appeared first on The Defense Post.

Arab states strongly condemned Israel for the escalating hostilities with Hezbollah, which have intensified to levels unseen in nearly a year.

The war erupted after Hamas and other Palestinian militants launched the unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, drawing in Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups.

Israel said it killed a “large number” of Hezbollah militants when it hit about 1,600 sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, including a “targeted strike” in Beirut in what the Israeli military called “Operation Northern Arrows.”

Hezbollah said Ali Karake, its third-in-command, was alive and had moved to safety after a source said the strike on the capital targeted him.

The group said early Tuesday it had launched “volleys” of missiles at Israeli military sites, after state media reported new raids in eastern Lebanon.

People in Israel’s coastal city of Haifa were seen running for cover on Monday when air raid sirens sounded.

Lebanon’s health ministry said the strikes killed 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, and wounded 1,645 others. Health Minister Firass Abiad said “thousands of families” had been displaced.

Explosions near the ancient city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon sent smoke billowing into the sky.

“We sleep and wake up to bombardment… that’s what our life has become,” said Wafaa Ismail, 60, a housewife from the southern village of Zawtar.

‘Most Difficult Week for Hezbollah’

Global powers urged Israel and Hezbollah to step back from the brink of all-out war, as the violence shifted from Israel’s southern border with Gaza to its northern frontier with Lebanon.

France and Egypt called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene, while Iraq requested an urgent meeting of Arab states on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said the strikes hit combat infrastructure Hezbollah had been building for two decades.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called Monday “a significant peak” in the operation.

“This is the most difficult week for Hezbollah since its establishment – the results speak for themselves,” he said.

“Entire units were taken out of battle as a result of the activities conducted at the beginning of the week in which numerous terrorists were injured.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was acting to change the “security balance” in the north.

Hezbollah Wave of Rockets

Hezbollah, which has been trading near-daily fire with Israel in support of Hamas, said it was in a “new phase” of confrontation.

The group said it launched rockets at Israeli military sites near Haifa and two bases in retaliation for Israeli strikes on the south and the Bekaa.

The attack came after an Israeli strike on southern Beirut on Friday killed its elite Radwan Force commander, Ibrahim Aqil, and coordinated communications device blasts that Hezbollah blamed on Israel killed 39 people and wounded almost 3,000 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Since the cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah began in October, tens of thousands of people on both sides have fled their homes.

An Israeli military official, who cannot be further identified under military rules, said the operation seeks to “degrade threats” from Hezbollah, push them back from the border, and then to destroy infrastructure.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the United Nations and world powers to deter what he called Israel’s “plan that aims to destroy Lebanese villages and towns.”

‘Full-Fledged War’ Nearing

US President Joe Biden, whose country is Israel’s main ally and weapons supplier, said Washington was “working to de-escalate in a way that allows people to return home safely.”

The Pentagon said it was sending a small number of additional US military personnel to the Middle East after thousands were deployed earlier alongside warships, fighter jets, and air defense systems.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity at the UN General Assembly, said that Washington opposed an Israeli ground invasion targeting Hezbollah and had “concrete ideas” on how to de-escalate the crisis.

G7 foreign ministers said in a joint statement that “no country stands to gain” from escalating conflict, warning of “unimaginable consequences” if a regional war broke out.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell warned that Israel and Hezbollah were “almost in full-fledged war,” ahead of a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.

UN chief Antonio Guterres was “gravely alarmed” by civilian casualties in Lebanon, his spokesman said.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon warned “any further escalation of this dangerous situation could have far-reaching and devastating consequences.”

Qatar, a mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks, said Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon “puts the region on the brink of the abyss,” while Turkey said the strikes threatened “chaos” and Jordan urged an immediate end to the escalation “before it is too late.”

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the strikes and ordered Palestinian medical staff in Lebanon to provide support for the wounded.

Iran’s newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, accused Israel of seeking “to create this wider conflict.”

Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.

Of the 251 hostages also seized by militants, 97 are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,455 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN has described the figures as reliable.

The post Nearly 500 Dead in Israeli Strikes on Hezbollah Strongholds in Lebanon appeared first on The Defense Post.

Border settlements in both Russia and Ukraine have been subjected to near-daily shelling and drone attacks since Moscow launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022.

“The village came under shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces. Two adults and a teenager were killed by the enemy strike,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a post on Telegram.

He said two more people, including one child, were also wounded in the attack on the village of Arkhangelskoe, around five kilometers (three miles) from the border with Ukraine.

The area sits just across from Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow launched a major new offensive in May in a bid to create a “buffer zone” to protect its own border villages from shelling.

The post Russia Says 3 Killed by Ukraine Border Strike appeared first on The Defense Post.

The military responded by scrambling fighter jets and issuing radio and flare warnings, Minoru Kihara told reporters.

“We confirmed today that a Russian Il-38 patrol aircraft has violated our airspace over our territorial waters north of Rebun Island, Hokkaido, on three occasions,” he said.

“The airspace violation is extremely regrettable and today we lodged a very serious protest with the Russian government via diplomatic channels and strongly urged them to prevent a recurrence.”

Top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi also said on Monday that “we will refrain from giving any definitive information on the intent and purpose of this action, but the Russian military has been active in the vicinity of our country since the invasion of Ukraine.”

Japan has supported the Western position on Ukraine, providing Kyiv with financial and material support and sanctioning Russian individuals and organizations after Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.

Kihara said the new incident was “the first publicly announced airspace incursion by a Russian aircraft since June 2019,” when a Tu-95 bomber entered Japanese airspace in southern Okinawa and around the Izu Islands south of Tokyo.

In 2023, an aircraft believed but not confirmed to be Russian entered Japanese airspace, according to the defense ministry.

The Japanese foreign ministry meanwhile said that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, where both leaders are visiting for the UN General Assembly.

Zelensky thanked Kishida for his support since Russia’s invasion, especially as G7 chair last year, and conferred upon him a top Ukrainian order of merit, a readout said.

Earlier this month, Japan had to scramble fighter jets when Russian aircraft flew around the archipelago for the first time since 2019.

The Tu-142 planes did not enter Japanese airspace but flew over an area subject to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, Tokyo said.

Russian and Chinese warships recently held joint drills in the Sea of Japan, part of a major naval exercise that Russian President Vladimir Putin said was the largest of its kind for three decades.

Japan scrambled fighter jets in August after the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace, with Tokyo calling it a “serious violation” of its sovereignty.

Then last week, a Chinese aircraft carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time. Japan called that incident “totally unacceptable from the perspective of the security environment of Japan and the region.”

China said the passage complied with international law.

The post Japan Protests Airspace ‘Violation’ by Russian Patrol Plane appeared first on The Defense Post.

The announcement comes as fears of a broader regional war grow, with Israel striking hundreds of targets in Lebanon in what is by far the deadliest cross-border escalation in nearly a year of violence between Israel and Hezbollah.

“In light of increased tension in the Middle East, and out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional US military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region,” Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists, declining to provide further information for security reasons.

The United States has thousands of troops in the Middle East region, as well as warships, fighter jets, and air defense systems deployed to protect both its forces and Israel.

Ryder warned of the potential for the Israel-Hezbollah violence to escalate, calling for a diplomatic solution.

“Clearly there is the potential for these tit-for-tat operations between Israel and (Hezbollah) to escalate and to potentially spiral out of control into a wider regional war, which is why it’s so important that we resolve… the situation through diplomacy,” Ryder said.

World powers have implored Israel and Hezbollah to pull back from the brink of all-out war, with the focus of violence shifting sharply in recent days from Israel’s southern front with Gaza to its northern border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah, a powerful political and military force in Lebanon, has exchanged near-daily fire with Israel in support of its ally Hamas.

The Palestinian militant group carried out the worst-ever attack on Israel on October 7, sparking a conflict that has drawn Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups around the region into the violence.

The post US Sending More Troops to Middle East as Tensions Grow appeared first on The Defense Post.

The Cook Barracks infrastructure project commenced in 2021 as part of Canberra’s bilateral cooperation with the South Pacific island nation to reinforce security in Oceania and support the partner’s commercial activity and local economy.

Through the effort, the site now incorporates modern accommodation and training facilities, engineering and vehicle workshops, roads, a medical center, a fire station, and a chapel.

The facilities will be managed by the Vanuatu Mobile Force and Police Force once it reaches operational capability.

Demonstrating ‘Commitment’

Cook Barracks’ launch followed the reopening of Vanuatu’s Tiroas Barracks in Espiritu Santo Province in March 2024 under the same framework.

The base includes a new armory and medical facilities for the nation’s defense forces as well as critical infrastructure for Vanuatu’s inter-island emergency network.

At the project announcement, Canberra noted that the entirety of the initiative planned to support approximately 200 employment opportunities.

“These major projects demonstrate the importance of Australia and Vanuatu’s longstanding relationship and continuing commitment to working together,” Australian Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated.

“Australia and Vanuatu’s security is intertwined and our partnership enhances the peace, prosperity, resilience and safety of our region for future generations.”

The post Australia Reopens Upgraded Port Vila Barracks for Vanuatu appeared first on The Defense Post.

The event saw the company’s flight test team conduct functional checks of the system before its launch.

The plane will undergo additional live assessments as part of the program’s primary evaluation phase this autumn.

Boeing will also send the aircraft to another center that will finalize the hull’s livery outfitting.

“This safe and systematic Functional Check Flight is an important step for Boeing and the RAF as part of our rigorous and extensive testing and evaluation,” Boeing VP and E-7 Program Manager Stu Voboril remarked.

“Our team is committed to ensuring the E-7 delivers the safety, quality, and capabilities we’ve promised to our customer as we prepare for delivery of the UK’s first E-7 Wedgetail to the RAF.”

‘Significant Milestone’

Boeing accepted the contract to build five E-7s in 2019 to replace the British government’s decommissioned E-3 Sentry fleet, which operated for the same purpose since the 1990s.

The $1.98-billion planes are set to achieve operational capability by 2025.

“This first flight marks a significant milestone for the programme and for our team who have worked tirelessly with our partners to progress what is a hugely complex endeavour,” UK Defence Equipment & Support Director Richard Murray commented on the latest trial.

“We are moving forward and will be delivering this critical capability to the RAF.”

Local E-7 Development Centers Now Ready

The UK’s Wedgetail initiative involved the construction of hangars in Lossiemouth, Scotland, last year to support the Wedgetail’s in-country engineering works.

The site will house works for the three upcoming E-7s as well as other military aircraft once the program concludes.

London announced the inauguration of the $103-million center in September 2024. It will be managed by over 175 on-site personnel at the project’s peak, according to the government.

“We’re proud of the robust E-7 modification line we’ve stood up in the UK to deliver the RAF’s future Airborne Early Warning & Control fleet,” Boeing UK, Ireland and the Nordics President Maria Laine commented.

“We are committed to delivering this crucial capability to support the UK’s national security and contribute toward regional stability.”

Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail

The E-7 Wedgetail has a 34-meter (112-foot) fuselage and a 36-meter (118-foot) wingspan.

It is flown by two pilots, with functions run by up to 10 mission personnel. In 2022, the UK’s first E-7 platform received its main sensor suite.

The Wedgetail is powered by turbofans for a range of 6,500 kilometers (4,039 miles), a speed of  853 kilometers (530 miles) per hour, and a service ceiling of 12,500 meters (41,011 feet).

The post Boeing Completes Maiden Flight of Future British Wedgetail Early Warning Aircraft appeared first on The Defense Post.

Awarded by the US Defense Information Systems Agency, the agreement covers the continuance of operational and sustainment services for the Pentagon and the National Capital Region’s digital connectivity.

Work for the network, used by over 55,000 users, will be accompanied by the optimization of related IT environments to enhance the “speed, security, and reliability” of the infrastructure.

Associated tasks will be performed for a one-year base period and two six-month options.

“Enhancing the Pentagon’s network infrastructure will further advance technological superiority for our warfighters,” GDIT Defense Senior Vice President Brian Sheridan stated.

“We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with [Defense Information Systems Agency] and reimagining new ways to provide a modern, secure and reliable network.”

GDIT’s Latest DoD Projects

GDIT’s renewal contract followed the firm’s acquisition of a cyber firm based in Florida to improve its ongoing support for the US Special Operations Command and international allies.

In May 2024, the company received a $185-million award to provide digital security services for the US Air Force’s civil engineering division in Texas.

This followed another $922-million project two months earlier to apply a widescale update for the US Central Command’s IT infrastructure.

Alongside technical support, GDIT has also partnered with the Department of Defense to assist in training courses for over 200,000 combatants under the US Army’s III Armored Corps.

The post Pentagon Renews General Dynamics Network Infrastructure Support Contract appeared first on The Defense Post.

The delivery comes just five months after the country received its penultimate GlobalEye aircraft at the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

According to Saab business area head for surveillance Carl-Johan Bergholm, completing the delivery in under 10 years underscores the company’s position as a “leading provider” of AEW&C platforms.

Deliveries of the GlobalEye to the UAE began in 2020 after five years of production and flight testing.

‘Multi-Domain Platform’

Saab is pitching its GlobalEye as an “advanced, multi-domain solution” capable of long-range threat detection and identification.

It features active and passive sensors that provide real-time information to units on the ground, at sea, or in the air.

The aircraft can operate for up to 11 hours at 35,000 feet (10,668 meters) while detecting threats as low as 200 feet (61 meters).

Its primary goal is to enhance the situational awareness of military units in high-threat environments.

Currently, the UAE Air Force is the only confirmed operator of the AEW&C aircraft.

Sweden has placed an order for three aircraft, with deliveries expected between 2024 and 2029.

The post Saab Concludes GlobalEye Early Warning Aircraft Deliveries to UAE appeared first on The Defense Post.

The upcoming test will reportedly utilize Lockheed’s new vertical launch system called the Quad Launcher, which will allow the missiles to be fired from medium and large surface vessels.

The company recently showcased a model of a generic vessel equipped with four JAGM Quad Launchers, indicating its readiness for the much-awaited integration.

Lockheed did not provide a specific date for the planned live-fire demonstration.

If successful, the test could allow for the official integration of Quad Launchers on surface vessels to defeat maritime threats.

“We are still in the development phase of the vertical launch capability and demonstrating to [the] US [Department of Defense] is our near-term goal,” said Patrick Sweeney, Lockheed’s senior manager for international business development.

Potential Applications

The sea-launched JAGM test is part of a broader initiative to transform the munition into a multi-domain weapon system capable of addressing a wide variety of threats.

It can be used to engage uncrewed surface vessels and drones, similar to those used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Currently, the US Navy employs AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire missiles for targeting small surface vessels.

The existing version of the JAGM only allows for launch on aerial platforms, such as the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.

Lockheed plans to offer the sea-launched JAGM to the US military and the Australian Defence Force.

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