Battle of Elakla
Battle of Elakla | |||||||
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Part of Mali War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Unknown | Djamel Okacha † Seifallah Ben Hassine † | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
None | 11 killed Several prisoners[1] |
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Tuareg rebellion (2012):
- 1st Ménaka
- 1st Aguelhok
- Tin-Hama
- In Emsal
- 1st Andéramboukane
- 1st Tessalit
- 1st Niafunké
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- Tinsalane
- 1st Goumakoura
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- Sudere
- 1st Kidal
- 1st Timbuktu
- 1st Gao
- 1st In-Delimane
- Tagarangabotte
- 2nd Ménaka
- Khalil
- In Arab
Foreign intervention:
- Operation Serval
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- Chadian military intervention
- EUTM
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- Konna
- 2nd Gao
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- 4th Gao
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- 5th Gao
- In Khalil
- Timetrine
- 1st Kidal attack
- Imenas
- Tin Keraten
- Tigharghâr
- 1st Djebok
- 2nd Timbuktu
- 6th Gao
- 3rd Timbuktu
- 2nd Kidal attack
- 1st Ber
- Hamakouladji
- 1st Anéfis
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- Fooïta
- Douaya
- 2nd Tessalit
- Amazragane
- 1st Araouane
- 3rd Kidal attack
2014
- Kondaoui
- Tamkoutat
- 1st Ametettai
- Dayet
- Inabohane and Ebahlal
- 2nd Kidal
- 2nd Aguelhok
- 3rd Anéfis
- 1st Tabankort
- 2nd Indelimane
- 2nd Ametettai
- N'Tillit
- 2nd Tabankort
2015
- 1st Nampala
- Ténenkou
- 3rd Tabankort
- Tabrichat
- Bamako restaurant
- 4th Kidal attack
- 1st Léré
- Tin Telout
- Nara
- Takoumbaout
- Sama Forest
- 1st Gourma-Rharous
- Sévaré hotel
- 4th Anéfis
- Tiébanda
- Bamako hotel
- 5th Kidal attack
- 1st Talahandak
2016
2017
- 6th Gao
- 1st Boulikessi
- 2nd Gourma-Rharous
- Foulsaré Forest
- 1st Dogofry
- 1st Serma Forest
- Bintagoungou
- Kangaba
- Inkadogotane
- 2nd Djebok
- Takellote
- 4th Timbuktu
- Tin Biden
- 3rd Indelimane
2018
- 4th In-Delimane
- Youwarou
- Soumpi
- Inaghalawass
- 2nd Araouane
- Akabar
- 5th Timbuktu
- Aklaz and Awkassa
- 1st Talataye
- Tabarde
- 1st Boni
- Inabelbel
- Soumouni
- 2nd Dogofry
- Ndaki
- 2nd Ber
- Farimake
- Tinabaw and Tabangout-Tissalatatene
- Abanguilou
2019
- Koulogon
- 2nd Serma Forest
- Taghatert and West Inekar
- 4th Aguelhok
- Elakla
- Dialloubé
- Diankabou
- 1st Dioura
- Ogossagou
- Tiésaba-Bourgou
- Guiré
- Sobane Da
- Gangafani and Yoro
- Fafa
- 2nd Boulikessi
- 5th In-Delimane
- 4th Tabankort
- 3rd Ménaka
- 1st Wagadou Forest
2020
- Dioungani
- Sokolo
- 1st Tarkint
- 1st Bamba
- 2nd Talahandak
- Bouka Weré
- Bankass
- Coup
- 1st Farabougou
- Sokoura
- 3rd Boulikessi
- Tadamakat
- Niaki
2021
- Wedding airstrike
- Boulikessi and Mondoro
- 2nd Boni
- 2nd Tessit
- 5th Aguelhok
- Coup
- 2nd Tarkint
- Karou and Ouatagouna
- Dangarous Forest
- Nokara
- Bodio
- Mopti
2022
- Archam
- Danguèrè Wotoro
- Mondoro
- Ménaka
- 2nd Andéramboukane
- 3rd Tessit
- 2nd Talataye
- Tadjalalt and Haroum
- Moura
- Hombori
- Mopti Region
- Diallassagou
- Bandiagara
2023
- Markacoungo
- Diafarabé and Koumara
- Kani Bonzon
- 5th Timbuktu
- 3rd Ber
- Tombouctou and Bamba
- Bourem
- 2nd Léré
- 2nd Dioura
- 2nd Bamba
- Kidal Region
- 4th Kidal
- 2nd Niafunké
- Labbezanga
- 2nd Farabougou
2024
The battle of Elakla took place on February 21, 2019, between French forces of Operation Barkhane and al-Qaeda aligned Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.
Prelude
After the creation of Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin in 2017, a jihadist group that was the result of five Sahelian jihadist groups merging, French forces in Operation Barkhane aided the Malian government's efforts to fight the group. Djamel Okacha was a founding member of JNIM and the group's second-in-command.[2]
Battle
Barkhane forces launched an operation on the afternoon of February 21 after spotting three vehicles deemed suspicious moving throughout Tombouctou Region.[2] The French army launched drone strikes on the vehicles, before sending in ground forces, five helicopters, and an MQ-9 drone.[2] The aircraft took off at 1:13pm from Bou Djeheba, north of Timbuktu.[3] An hour later, one pick-up was spotted by the drones, before being joined by two more vehicles.[3] After a chase, two pick-ups stopped and surrendered after being shot at.[3] The ground forces chased the third truck, but were only able to catch it after a second group of commandos intervened as it tried to blend into civilians.[3] As the drivers felt trapped, they got out and shot at the French commandos, but were killed.[2]
Aftermath
The French government claimed 11 fighters were put out of action, including Djamel Okacha and his two main deputies.[4] Seifallah Ben Hassine, nom de guerre Abou Iyadh and leader of the Tunisian jihadist group Ansar al-Sharia, was also killed in the battle.[5] Okacha's death was confirmed by Sedane Ag Hita, another top member of JNIM, and later JNIM leader and founder Abdelmalek Droukdel.[6][7]
References
- ^ "Comment les forces spéciales françaises ont éliminé le chef d'al-Qaïda pour le Sahara". 14 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d AFP (2023-10-02). "L'un des principaux chefs djihadistes au Sahel, Djamel Okacha, tué au Mali". La Libre.be (in French). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ a b c d Lagneau, Laurent (2019-06-14). "Comment les forces spéciales françaises ont éliminé le chef d'al-Qaïda pour le Sahara". Zone Militaire (in French). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Mali: Paris annonce l'élimination du chef jihadiste d'Aqmi Yahia Abou Hamman". RFI (in French). 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Mort d'Abou Iyadh, figure du djihadisme tunisien, l'un des derniers à avoir fréquenté Ben Laden". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Mali: Sidan Ag Hitta, chef terroriste, s'exprime dans un message". RFI (in French). 2019-03-11. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "Le décès du leader djihadiste tunisien Abou Iyadh confirmé par AQMI – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2023-10-02.