Malian military confirms casualties and captures among soldiers in recent military operations

Xinhua News Agency, Nouakchott, September 19 (Reporter Chen Chen, Qi Qi) Bamako reports: The General Staff of the Malian Armed Forces issued a statement on the 19th, saying that during military operations in the city of Djula in the Mopti region of central Mali, there were soldier casualties and some soldiers were captured.

The statement did not disclose the number of casualties and captured soldiers, emphasizing that the military is still working to rescue the captured soldiers.

According to local media reports, the Malian military camp in Djula was attacked by armed personnel on the 10th, and the military subsequently launched a counterattack. The related military operations have been ongoing for more than a week.

According to the statement, on the 19th, the Malian military continued to carry out targeted strikes against the positions of armed groups around the Djula military camp and the outskirts of the city, and through joint air-ground operations and transport helicopters, the two companies of soldiers holding the camp were able to evacuate.

The statement noted that the attackers included members of the separatist armed group "Azawad Liberation Front" and the extremist organization "Support for Islam and Muslims," as well as foreign armed personnel. The military stated that the operation dealt a heavy blow to the relevant armed groups, and reconnaissance operations are ongoing to eliminate remaining threats.

Since 2012, Mali's security situation has been continuously unstable, with frequent terrorist attacks, armed conflicts, and ethnic violence incidents. In recent years, the Malian military has repeatedly stated that it will continue to combat terrorism and armed gangs within the country.