Malian Airforce Conducts Airstrikes Against Civilian Infrastructure Near Tinzaouten

The Malian air Force, in conjunction with the Burkinabe armed forces, has conducted at least five airstrikes on civilian infrastructure near the Commune of Tinzaouten, just days after the Malian army and its Russian support personnel suffered a devastating attack at the hands of Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants in the same locality..What You Need to Know.In a short statement on X, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a confederation of the Sahel's military juntas: Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—said, "This campaign aims to secure people and property in the locality of Tinzaouten and its surroundings, against the coalition of terrorists responsible for exactions, abuses, and illicit trafficking against the Malian population." Another AES post announced, "Zero tolerance in Tinzaouten; the terrorists pay cash for their arrogance: The Malian Air Force hits them right in the heart!".The strikes, however, did not target the Tuareg rebels who are part of the Permanent Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA) nor the Islamic militants organized under the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin umbrella militant group..According to local sources, the Ekhariban refugee site, Inatiyara gold mining site, and a market frequented by Chadian, Nigerien, and Sudanese workers were struck, prompting an exodus of the remaining civilians. At least 40 are thought to have been killed..In response, Attaye Ag Mohamed, a spokesperson for the Azawad armed movement, stated, "The juntas in Burkina Faso and Niger, in search of false glory, take responsibility for carnage against civilian gold miners mainly from Niger, Chad, and Sudan.".Continuing, "In their laconic press release, they have no problem considering charred civilians as specific high-value targets. The CSP-DPA forces, thank God, were not hit with even a simple scratch. Resilience is Azawadian, and our struggle remains the only hope for all citizens of states under military dictatorships in these three countries.".So, What Now?.This latest attack on civilians is not the first to be conducted by the Malian army in an attempt to target Tuareg and Islamic militants. In 2022, in the village of Moura, the Malian army, in conjunction with Russian mercenaries, undertook a five-day assault on the village to drive out Islamic militants. By the end of the attack, at least 300 civilians had been killed..Moreover, the misrepresentation of casualties and targets has been a tactic increasingly adopted by the Sahel's military juntas as they struggle to combat militancy within their borders and to exact revenge on the militants themselves, thus resulting in attacks on civilians such as this one.