16°52′48″N1°55′26″W / 16.88000°N 1.92389°W /16.88000; -1.92389
| 2015 Gourma-Rharous attack | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofMali War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 National Guard of Mali |  AQIM | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 11 killed 1 injured | Unknown | ||||||
On August 3, 2015, jihadists fromAl-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched an attack on Malian forces inGourma-Rharous, Mali. Eleven Malian soldiers were killed in the attack.
In late 2014 and early 2015, jihadist groups rebelling against the Malian government during theMali War spread westward, conducting more attacks inTombouctou Region, where Gourma-Rharous is located, andMopti Region, in central Mali.[1] In June 2015,Ansar Dine militants attacked Malian forces inNara, a town on the Mauritanian border in west-central Mali.[2]
Jihadists from AQIM attacked aMalian National Guard barracks in Gourma-Rharous around dawn on August 3. According to a local radio official, the attackers wore black, and arrived in a vehicle and two motorcycles carrying ablack flag, and chanted"Allahu akbar".[3] The jihadists torched a Malian vehicle and left with another, which was also torched after breaking down en route.[3] After news of the attack emerged, the Malian government sent reinforcements to Gourma-Rharous.[4] The attack was claimed that same day by AQIM.[5]
Two military sources within the Malian army toldAFP a few hours after the attack that ten soldiers were killed and two others were injured during the attack. The Malian government released a statement that evening stating eleven soldiers were killed and one was injured.[6][4] The Malian government announced on August 6 that five suspects were arrested in connection with the attack.[7]