The attack in Mali’s capital last week killed dozens of people and targeted military institutions.

Qatar has issued a strong condemnation of the recent attack in Bamako, Mali, where over 70 people were killed and about 200 others injured.

In an official statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the nation’s firm stance against all forms of violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of their motives.

The Ministry extended condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Mali, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, noting that one UN staff member had been injured.

The attack was also denounced by the African Union, Senegal, France, and the United Kingdom.

What happened in the attack?

On September 17, the al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) launched a deadly attack in the Malian capital, targeting military installations, including a police training school and a nearby military base.

This marked the most significant assault in the city since 2015. As reported by Aljazeera, JNIM’s stated goal is to “remove oppression” and expel non-Muslim “occupiers”, which they associate with Western influence and foreign troop presence in Mali. The group also operates in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

During the extensive nine-hour assault, JNIM members reportedly killed numerous Malian soldiers as well as Russian mercenary fighters affiliated with the Wagner Group, now known as Africa Corps, who are present to support the Malian government.

The attack included videos shared by JNIM on social media, and showed fighters setting a government aircraft on fire and targeting a plane belonging to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The footage also depicted numerous soldiers, including individuals believed to be Russian, lying apparently dead on the ground.

Translation: After Melgue, Yelimane, [and] now Bamako, the fire is getting dangerously close to our borders. Like the economy, our political class is not interested in this essential and existential question.

World Food Programme (WFP) spokesperson Djaounsede Madjiangar confirmed that the aircraft damaged during the assault was utilised to “transport aid workers and provide emergency humanitarian aid in remote areas of Mali”.

At the time of the attack, the airplane was grounded and had no personnel on board. Madjiangar emphasised that the assault “reduces our humanitarian response capacity”.

While JNIM claimed control of the airport and adjacent areas, Malian authorities later stated that the attack had been successfully repelled.