The Islamic State (IS) revealed its responsibility for two attacks in Benin, killing six soldiers in total, thus marking the expansion of its "Sahel Province" to another country.
The group reported this revelation as well as operations in Mali, in Issue 356 of its an-Naba newspaper, published on September 15, 2022. The incidents in Benin both took place in the Alibori region on July 1-2, 2022, and involved an armed ambush and raid. Including the six killed in Benin, the group alleged that its Sahel Province inflicted 151 casualties in eight attacks over the past two months, targeting Malian soldiers, Russian PMC Wagner Group mercenaries, fighters from Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), and Azawad militias.
In one of its attacks in Mali, in the town of Tessit, in Gao region, the IS explained that it learned from a past strike on the main base for the Malian army there last year, inflicting a painful blow. According to the "special source" cited by an-Naba, fighters mounted simultaneous attacks on the base inside Tessit and posts on its outskirts, killing over 42 soldiers and wounding more than 20 others.
The IS provided an infographic summarizing the results of the operations.
Following is a translation of the article and infographic:
46 Killed from the Malian Army, 60 Killed Among the Apostate Militia, and 10 Others from the Wagner Militia and the Soldiers of the Caliphate Announce the Expansion of Their Operations to Benin
Sahel Province | An-Naba
Exclusive
A special source revealed to an-Naba the latest attacks and significant field developments witnessed by Sahel Province during recent weeks, where more than 42 elements from the Malian army were killed in a major attack on their base in the town of Tessit, over which the mujahideen took control for some time. The source also reveals the expansions of operations by the mujahideen to the statelet of Benin, announcing their attacks there for the first time, in addition to announcing the killing of 15 elements from the Russian Wagner militia in an attack on a joint convoy of the Malian army and the militia in the town of Talataye, inflicting dozens of deaths in their ranks. The attacks follow below:
More than 60 Killed and Wounded in an Attack on the Tessit Base
As for the details, with success granted from Allah the Almighty, on Sunday, 9 Muharram, the soldiers of the Caliphate, using various types of light, medium, and heavy weapons, and rocket-propelled grenades, carried out a broad offensive on the main military base for the apostate Malian army, in the center of the town of Tessit, in the Gao region, northeastern Mali. This coincided with an attack on 10 small posts on the outskirts of the town, which resulted in killing more than 42 elements, capturing and slaughtering two others, and wounding over 20 more. The attack also resulted in the burning of seven vehicles and the seizure of ten other vehicles as spoils, as well as a large quantity of ammunition and different types of weapons, including a mortar cannon, and unto Allah is all praise.
A New Plan for the Second Attack
The special source told an-Naba that the mujahideen benefitted from their previous attack on the military base in Tessit during the month of Sha'ban last year, during which many elements from the Malian army took advantage of the attack having commenced on the posts on the outskirts, and fled from the main base to the inside of the town. The command of the mujahideen determined to make slight adjustments to the plan for the second attack, so that the main base and the posts are attacked concurrently, to cut off the escape route for the defeated soldiers, to then be followed immediately by storming the storm and sweeping it to find any elements that slipped inside. This is what happened, by the grace of Allah the Almighty and HIs granting of success. The source attested to an-Naba, that after the attack, the mujahideen took control over the entire town for six consecutive hours, from 1200 in the morning until 1800 in the afternoon, during which they swept the entire town, capturing a local official and two of his associates there.
The Army Admits the Killing of 42 and Claims to have Repulsed the Attack!!
Opposite that which the Malian army alleged, the source confirmed to an-Naba that only one mujahid was killed in this attack, as he succumbed to the wounds sustained in battle. This comes in the context of his response to the false statements of the Malian army in which it claimed to have been able to "repulse the attack" and announced that it killed "large numbers" of mujahideen in the aftermath.
It is noted that the huge losses suffered by the Malian army are described as the "heaviest and largest" in the past four years, which prompted the army and government to officially admit that "42 soldiers were killed, 9 were missing, and 22 others were wounded," in addition to the death of "dignitaries and locally elected officials," as they put it, during the sweep inside the town.
The Malian army declared "three days of mourning" in Mali for those who were killed in the attack - the same attack it claimed it was able to "forcefully repulse"!
The Mujahideen Expand to Benin, Killing 6 Among the Beninese Army
Likewise, in a new field expansion by the State of the Caliphate to new countries in Africa, this time, its soldiers attacked the army of the statelet of Benin. On 2 Dhul-Hijjah of last year, the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked a Beninese army patrol, in Fakwara village, in the Alibori region, northern Benin. There, they clashed with them using light and medium weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, which resulted in killing four elements and wounding others, while the rest fled. The mujahideen captured weapons and equipment as spoils, then returned safely to their positions, and unto Allah is all praise.
The following day, 3 Dhul-Hijjah, the soldiers of the Caliphate set an armed ambush for a Beninese army patrol, near the town of Ghin, on the road between the towns of Malanvil and Kandi, in the Alibori region, firing upon it with various weapons. It resulted in killing two elements, while the rest fled, and the mujahideen captured their weapons and two motorcycles, then returned safely to their positions, and unto Allah is all praise.
15 Elements from the Wagner Militia Killed
In another military development, on Monday, 2 Safar, the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked a joint convoy of the apostate Malian army and the Russian Wagner militia, after they entered the town of Silta, in the Ansongo region, where they indiscriminately fired on the Muslim public in the border area with Niger. So, the soldiers of the Caliphate engaged in a clash with them, using various weapons, which resulted in killing close to 15 elements from the Wagner militia and wounding others, and torching five of their vehicles, in addition to killing and wounding multiple elements from the Malian army, and unto Allah is all praise and gratitude.
More than 60 Killed from the Apostate Militias
In the context of the war against the apostate militia, and after the repeated attacks by the al-Qaeda and Azawadi militias on the Muslim public in Talataye, to the point they recently came to open fire on the Muslims and their livestock in the southern areas of Talataye, under the pretext that they are affiliated with the Islamic State, the soldiers Caliphate could not but move to stop these crimes and the blatant encroachment on the blood and property of the Muslims.
On Tuesday, 10 Safar, the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked positions held by the al-Qaeda militia to the west of the town, and positions of the Azawadi militias to its east. A fierce battle erupted from noon to night, which ended with the mujahideen capturing the town, killing more than 60 elements from the al-Qaeda and Azawadi militias, taking an al-Qaeda element prisoner, torching four vehicles and capturing six others, and also seizing a large quantity of ammunition, rifles, and various weapons, and unto Allah is all praise.
The apostate Malian army announced that it had mounted multiple airstrikes against the mujahideen in support of the apostate militias on the ground.
It is noted that in most of the battles that were waged between the mujahideen and the al-Qaeda militia in the town of Talataye and its perimeter, the apostates Azawadi militias participated alongside al-Qaeda.
The soldiers of the Caliphate mount an attack on the apostate militias in the town of Talataye
The soldiers of the Caliphate clash with the apostate militias in the town of Talataye
Spoils the mujahideen captured after the clashes with the apostate militias in the town of Talataye
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Operations by the Soldiers of the Caliphate in Sahel Province Over the Past Two Months
2 Dhul-Hijjah 1443H through 10 Safar 1444H
8 Attacks
16 Vehicles Burned
16 Vehicles Captured as Spoils
151 Killed and Wounded
69 Malian Army
7 Beninese Army
15 Wagner Militia
60 Apostate Militias
