| Markacoungo attack | |
|---|---|
| Part ofMali War | |
| Location | Marka Coungo,Koulikoro Region,Mali |
| Date | January 2, 2023 |
| Deaths | 5 |
| Perpetrator |  Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin |
On January 2, 2023, militants fromJama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin attacked the villages ofMarkacoungo and Kassela, on theBamako-Ségou highway, killing five civilians. The attack was the first by JNIM in the Bamako area in months.
Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin is an al-Qaeda-affiliated coalition of five jihadist groups that had rebelled against the Malian government in 2012, and unified in 2017.[1] Normally, the group operates in northern and eastern Mali'sTombouctou Region,Mopti Region, andGao Region, rarely ever extending southwards towards the Malian capital of Bamako.[2] The last major attack near Bamako occurred at a police checkpoint in Zantiguila, a village inSégou Region, in July 2022.[3]
Jihadists on motorcycles drove up to the town of Kassela around 9pm local time on January 2, and first attacked a toll booth.[4] Markacoungo was attacked shortly afterward by unidentified gunmen, and the attackers shot at a civil defense post manned by civilians. The Malian Ministry of Security and Civil Defense stated two firefighters and three civilians were killed.[5][6] The ministry later stated it was launching reprisal operations to find the gunmen.[7] On January 5, JNIM claimed responsibility for the attacks.[6]