Araouane clashes

Part of the Mali War and Operation Barkhane
| Date| 29 March – 6 April 2018
(1 week and 1 day)

|

Location|

Araouane, Taoudénit Region, Mali

Result|  French victory
Belligerents
France|  JNIM
Commanders and leaders
|  Aymen al-Chinquiti †
Said al-Maghribi †
Qouteiba Al Ansari †[1]
Units involved
French Army
French Air Force|  No specific units
Casualties and losses
None|  8 killed
2 captured

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Mali War

* Timeline
* ICC investigation

Tuareg rebellion (2012):

* 1st Ménaka
* 1st Aguelhok
* Tin-Hama
* In Emsal
* 1st Andéramboukane
* 1st Tessalit
* 1st Niafunké
* 1st Tinzaouaten
* Tinsalane
* 1st Goumakoura
* 1st Tessit
* Sudere
* 1st Kidal

2012 coup

* 2012 counter-coup attempt
* Djicoroni

Internal conflict in Azawad:

* 1st Timbuktu
* 1st Gao
* 1st In-Delimane
* Tagarangabotte
* 2nd Ménaka
* Khalil
* In Arab

Foreign intervention:

* Operation Serval
* AFISMA
* Chadian military intervention
* EUTM
* MINUSMA
* Konna
* 2nd Gao
* Diabaly
* 3rd Gao
* 4th Gao
* Ifoghas
* Panther
* 5th Gao
* In Khalil
* Timetrine
* 1st Kidal attack
* Imenas
* Tin Keraten
* Tigharghâr
* 1st Djebok
* 2nd Timbuktu
* 6th Gao
* 3rd Timbuktu
* 2nd Kidal attack
* 1st Ber
* Hamakouladji
* 1st Anéfis
* 2nd Anéfis
* Fooïta
* Douaya
* 2nd Tessalit
* Amazragane
* 1st Araouane
* 3rd Kidal attack

2014

* Kondaoui
* Tamkoutat
* 1st Ametettai
* Dayet
* Inabohane and Ebahlal
* 2nd Kidal
* 2nd Aguelhok
* 3rd Anéfis
* 1st Tabankort
* 2nd Indelimane
* 2nd Ametettai
* N'Tillit
* 2nd Tabankort

2015

* 1st Nampala
* Ténenkou
* 3rd Tabankort
* Tabrichat
* Bamako restaurant
* 4th Kidal attack
* 1st Léré
* Tin Telout
* Nara
* Takoumbaout
* Sama Forest
* 1st Gourma-Rharous
* Sévaré hotel
* 4th Anéfis
* Tiébanda
* Bamako hotel
* 5th Kidal attack
* 1st Talahandak

2016

* Wanna
* 3rd Aguelhok
* Sévaré
* 2nd Nampala
* 3rd Kidal
* Touzik
* Adjlal
* 2nd Goumakoura
* Kazay-Kazay

2017

* 6th Gao
* 1st Boulikessi
* 2nd Gourma-Rharous
* Foulsaré Forest
* 1st Dogofry
* 1st Serma Forest
* Bintagoungou
* Kangaba
* Inkadogotane
* 2nd Djebok
* Takellote
* 4th Timbuktu
* Tin Biden
* 3rd Indelimane

2018

* 4th In-Delimane
* Youwarou
* Soumpi
* Inaghalawass
* 2nd Araouane
* Akabar
* 5th Timbuktu
* Aklaz and Awkassa
* 1st Talataye
* Tabarde
* 1st Boni
* Inabelbel
* Soumouni
* 2nd Dogofry
* Ndaki
* 2nd Ber
* Farimake
* Tinabaw and Tabangout-Tissalatatene
* Abanguilou

2019

* Koulogon
* 2nd Serma Forest
* Taghatert and West Inekar
* 4th Aguelhok
* Elakla
* Dialloubé
* Diankabou
* 1st Dioura
* Ogossagou
* Tiésaba-Bourgou
* Guiré
* Sobane Da
* Gangafani and Yoro
* Fafa
* 2nd Boulikessi
* 5th In-Delimane
* 4th Tabankort
* 3rd Ménaka
* 1st Wagadou Forest

2020

* Dioungani
* Sokolo
* 1st Tarkint
* 1st Bamba
* 2nd Talahandak
* Bouka Weré
* Bankass
* Coup
* 1st Farabougou
* Sokoura
* 3rd Boulikessi
* Tadamakat
* Niaki

2021

* Wedding airstrike
* Boulikessi and Mondoro
* 2nd Boni
* 2nd Tessit
* 5th Aguelhok
* Coup
* 2nd Tarkint
* Karou and Ouatagouna
* Dangarous Forest
* Nokara
* Bodio
* Mopti

2022

* Archam
* Danguèrè Wotoro
* Mondoro
* Ménaka
* 2nd Andéramboukane
* 3rd Tessit
* 2nd Talataye
* Tadjalalt and Haroum
* Moura
* Hombori
* Mopti Region
* Diallassagou
* Bandiagara

2023

* Markacoungo
* Diafarabé and Koumara
* Kani Bonzon
* 5th Timbuktu
* 3rd Ber
* Tombouctou and Bamba
* Bourem
* 2nd Léré
* 2nd Dioura
* 2nd Bamba
* Kidal Region
* 4th Kidal
* 2nd Niafunké
* Labbezanga
* 2nd Farabougou

2024

* Kwala
* Douna
* 2nd Wagadou Forest
* Mourdiah
* Abeïbara
* Djiguibombo
* 2nd Tinzaouaten
* Bamako

Clashes began around the village of Araouane in Mali's Taoudénit Region, after French forces launched an attack against JNIM militants in the area. The initial and subsequent engagements were part of Operation Barkhane, the goal of which is to eliminate JNIM commanders in the region.[2][better source needed]

## Clashes

[edit]

French forces fired on a JNIM vehicle in the Araouane area on 29 March 2018, killing two militants and capture one. It was later confirmed that one of the dead was Moroccan Said al-Maghribi, an AQIM-JNIM commander and explosives expert close to AQIM's regional leader and a senior leader of JNIM, Djamel Okacha.[3]

A second engagement was started by French forces on 6 April 2018, when they attacked JNIM militants in the same area, first with an airstrike and then with ground forces. The battle resulted in the death of JNIM Mauritanian commander Ayman al-Shanqiti, along with five other militants. One militant was also captured[4][5][6][better source needed]

## Aftermath

[edit]

In response to the clashes, the JNIM attacked the MINUSMA base in Timbuktu Airport, known informally as the "super camp".[7][8][9] One MINUSMA peacekeeper was killed, whilst 14 others were wounded;[10] however, 15 militants were killed and the attempted raid was repelled.[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Mr. Revinsky. "Mr. Revinsky on Twitter: "#Mali #AQ With this statement, #JNIM claims responsibility for the April 14th #Timbuktu attack. The aim was to avenge the death of Haidar Al Maghribi, Qouteiba Al Ansari and Abu Abdallah Ahmed Alchinguiti (they were killed between March and April 2018)."". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
2. ^ "Intelligence Fusion - Africa on Twitter".
3. ^ "Une nouvelle opération "ciblée" attribuée à la force Barkhane au Mali - RFI". RFI Afrique (in French). 3 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
4. ^ "Mali : Cinq jihadistes tués par les forces françaises". Archived from the original on 2018-04-15. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
5. ^ "مقتل القيادي الموريتاني في إمارة الصحراء محمد ولد نَنَّ (أيمن الشنقيطي) - أقــــلام حرة". www.aqlame.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
6. ^ "MENASTREAM on Twitter".
7. ^ "Several French soldiers injured in latest Mali attack - France 24". France 24. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
8. ^ "Mali – Attacks on MINUSMA and Barkhane (14.04.18) - France-Diplomatie - Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères". diplomatie.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
9. ^ "Militants killed at UN base". NewsComAu. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
10. ^ "UN chief, Security Council condemn deadly attack on peacekeepers in Mali | UN News". news.un.org. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
11. ^ "15 militants, one peacekeeper killed in attack on U.N. Timbuktu base: France". The Japan Times. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

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