Between October 16 and 17, 2018, joint Franco-Malian forces clashed with Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin in a forest near Ndaki, Mali.
Prelude In 2017, five jihadist groups - Ansar Dine, Al-Mourabitoun, Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, Katibat Macina, and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - that initially rebelled against the Malian government amidst the Tuareg rebellion in 2012, merged to form Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin. JNIM grew in power in late 2017, and soon intensified operations in southern Gao Region and Mopti Region.
The Ndaki region is considered a hotspot for Katibat Macina activity, in particular Katibat 3A, named for their leader Almansour Ag Alkassam.
Battle A skirmish broke out between joint Franco-Malian forces in a forest near Ndaki on October 16. Around fifty jihadists attacked Malian forces in the forest from two sides. Malian forces alerted nearby French forces in Operation Barkhane, who sent air support. The French helicopters came under small arms fire from the militants, and the helicopter subsequently responded. Ground troops were soon deployed, and the clashes continued into October 17. Patrick Steiger, spokesman for the French Armed Forces, stated that "tenacity of the terrorists...suggested that it was either a site important to them or someone important was present." That leader was likely Alkassam.
JNIM abandoned their camp on October 17, after which Malian and French forces seized the site.
Aftermath Two Malian soldiers were injured in the clashes, and one jihadist was killed. Steiger claimed that other wounded or killed jihadists were likely taken away by Katiba 3A overnight.
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