The Malian army said it repelled an attack by jihadist militants on a military base in the town of San on Sunday, killing around 40 fighters, though the assault temporarily forced troops to retreat. The al-Qaeda-affiliated group JNIM claimed responsibility and said it had seized the base, a claim the army disputes, insisting the site remains under its control. The clash underscores the worsening security situation in Mali, more than a decade after a jihadist insurgency took hold in the north, and comes as JNIM increasingly extends its reach into central and southern areas of the country.

The attack began at around 05:00 local time and lasted roughly two hours, with fighters arriving on motorcycles and on foot, some disguised in army uniforms, and using drones, heavy machine guns and armoured vehicles to breach the base's perimeter. Witnesses told RFI that militants briefly held the camp before fleeing into nearby forests and houses, and at least 10 soldiers were reported killed. The incident follows a wider jihadist and separatist offensive in April that killed Mali's defence minister, and comes amid a deepening reliance on Russian military support after the ruling junta rejected French assistance following its 2020 coup.