The Armed Forces of the Republic of Mali (FAMa) have launched a major counter-offensive in response to a recent spike in terrorist activity, which they say is being supported by external actors operating within Malian territory and the wider Sahel region.

In a communiqué issued by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mali on Friday, FAMa alleged that a coalition of armed terrorist groups, supported internally and externally through operational, logistical, financial, and informational channels, is behind the surge in violence.

The statement, based on findings from a recent investigation by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—warned that “a beast that was already defeated is being resurrected and sustained by now-identified forces.”

“Faced with these obscurantist threats, the FAMa have initiated a wide-scale counter-offensive across the country, with top priority placed on securing civilian populations and minimizing collateral damage,” the communiqué stated. Multiple offensive operations are currently underway targeting terrorist positions.

Some key actions highlighted include the destruction of terrorist shelters and logistical plots in the Ménaka region; the neutralisation of dozens of militants in the Boulkessi sector, Douentza region; and the dismantling of terrorist hideouts in the Soussan forest, Koulikoro region.

In Yenchéchi, about 50 km west of Kidal, FAMa forces reportedly destroyed a logistics convoy and eliminated several terrorist leaders. Additional operations north of Yenchéchi resulted in the destruction of a logistics hub, including three pickup trucks and the deaths of approximately ten terrorists. A column that had attacked the FAMa camp in Tessit was also repelled and pursued.

The General Staff reaffirmed that all AES units remain on high alert to defend territorial integrity and protect civilians. It also warned that accomplices to terrorist groups are under surveillance and will be apprehended.

The communiqué follows a major attack on Boulikessi by Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, which also reportedly launched assaults on military targets in Timbuktu.

This development comes on the heels of a 2024 joint declaration by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, condemning alleged foreign-backed support for terrorism in the region, describing it as a grave threat to both national and regional stability in the Sahel.