Mali: 4,880 terrorists put out of action in five months as army reveals scale of operations

At a press briefing on October 23, 2026, Colonel-Major Bakary Bocar Maïga said Mali’s armed forces had put 4,880 fighters from armed groups out of action between May and October 20. The army also reported destroying more than 162 bases, 315 pickup trucks, and 1,300 motorcycles. From May through September, it conducted 1,887 surveillance and tracking missions, including 791 strikes, followed by more than 65 additional strikes from October 1 to 20. Maïga said the operations were intended to preserve Mali’s territorial integrity and enable the state to exercise authority throughout the country.