On Wednesday, southwest Mali was rocked by two separate assaults by Islamist extremists, resulting in the deaths of 15 troops and three civilians. The army released a statement detailing the attacks.

During the attack on a military base in Sonkolo, situated in the Segou area and over 300 kilometres north of the capital city of Bamako, terrorists killed six soldiers and wounded 25 others. Sonkolo is located in Mali.

In addition, an early morning attack on a separate camp near the town of Kalumba in the country’s southwest resulted in the deaths of nine troops and three civilians, according to the army.

Despite an attack on a military installation in the town of Mopti during the night, the attackers were repulsed without any casualties, as per the statement. The army was responsible for the deaths of 48 terrorists in Sonkolo, and all attacks were eventually thwarted.

For the past decade, militants with connections to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have frequently attacked locations throughout the nation, with the conflict centred in the north and centre of Mali. Despite the presence of foreign forces and UN peacekeepers, the groups have made significant advances.

In a comprehensive attack that involved vehicle bombs, the militants launched a devastating assault. The situation in Mali remains highly volatile and unpredictable.