AMBUSH: AQIM INFLICTS HEAVY LOSSES IN BATTLE WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000445 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR PREL PTER ML SUBJECT: AMBUSH: AQIM INFLICTS HEAVY LOSSES IN BATTLE WITH MALIAN FORCES Classified By: Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic, Embassy Bamako, for reas ons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1.(C) Summary: In the early morning hours of July 4, AQIM elements attacked a Malian army convoy camped approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Timbuktu in the area of Araouane. A preliminary tally indicates that at least 20 Malian soldiers were killed, and as many as 19 may have been captured. Among the captured is Colonel Hamma Ould Mohammed Yahya, reportedly a cousin of Colonel Lamana Ould Bou, assassinated on June 10 in Timbuktu. End Summary. 2.(C) Sometime between two and four a.m. on Saturday, July 4, elements of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a surprise attack on a group of Malian military personnel and their vehicles as they were camped for the night. The ambush occurred approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Timbuktu, somewhat southwest of the town of Araouane. Casualty estimates continue to increase, with the Malian media initially reporting zero to four Malian deaths based on statements made during the weekend, and Embassy sources on Monday indicating 25 to 28. Abdoul Kader Ba, an advisor at the Malian Presidency, told the Embassy on July 6 that a Malian military officer arriving on the scene discovered at least 20 freshly dug graves. The dead, members of the Malian military, were reportedly buried by AQIM forces after the battle. Malian press reports further indicated the Malian army lost four to six pick-up trucks, which were damaged or destroyed during the fighting. 3.(C) At least 11, and possibly as many as 19, Malian soldiers and officers were taken prisoner by AQIM. According to Ba, who provided the latter figure, the captured Malian soldiers include Colonel Hamma Ould Mohammed Yahya, a cousin of Colonel Lamana Ould Bou, whose assassination on June 10 immediately precipitated the launching of Malian military operations against AQIM. Ba said AQIM had not yet made any demands in return for the release of the prisoners, though he indicated they were likely being used by AQIM to guard against any immediate attacks by the Malian army, as any such attempt might result in the deaths of those prisoners. 4.(C) Other Embassy sources indicate that a letter was prepared by AQIM, addressed to the Malian government, and left upon the grave of one of the dead Malian soldiers. While the content of the letter is unknown, it may be linked to AQIM's recent efforts to negotiate a truce with Berabiche Arabs who joined forces with the Malian government after the assassination of Colonel Lamana. Embassy sources suggest the majority of the soldiers and officers held captive are Berabiche Arabs, and AQIM may attempt to secure a truce with the Berabiche community in exchange for release of the prisoners. 5.(C) Although the present location of Malian forces and AQIM elements is subject to some dispute, it is known that reinforcement columns were dispatched by the Malian government as of Sunday, July 5. -------------- Comment: A Battle Joined -------------- 6.(C) The July 4 attack underscores the vulnerability of Malian forces, and Mali itself, to attacks by AQIM elements. AQIM, with knowledge of the terrain, and unmatched maneuverability, has the capacity to inflict devastating losses on untrained Malian units. Malian media articles covering the attack have almost universally emphasized that the West, including the United States, have vowed to support Malian efforts once joined in the struggle against Al Qaeda. MILOVANOVIC