LICKING ITS WOUNDS: MALI REGROUPS, HOSTAGE RELEASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAMAKO 000460

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR PREL PTER ML
SUBJECT: LICKING ITS WOUNDS: MALI REGROUPS, HOSTAGE RELEASED

REF: BAMAKO 383

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Barlerin, Embassy Bamako,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1.(C) Summary: Nine days after the ambush of Malian forces by
AQIM fighters north of Timbuktu, uncertainty remains
concerning the exact number of casualties and the condition
in which the bodies of the dead were left on the field. The
most reliable indications are that 28 Malian soldiers were
killed in the July 4 ambush, with six additional soldiers
captured and now held hostage by AQIM. Lieutenant Colonel
Hamma Ould Mohamed Yahya has been confirmed dead, and the
Malian army has for the moment pulled its forces back to the
relative safety of Timbuktu. A delegation from AFRICOM
accompanied by the Embassy's DATT visited the Malian forward
operating base at Tessalit, and witnessed firsthand the harsh
operating conditions facing the Malian army in the north.
The government newspaper L'Essor, for its part, has largely
ignored the AQIM debacle, relegating the incident to a few
short paragraphs in its July 6 and 7 editions. Meanwhile, on
Sunday, July 12, AQIM released the last remaining western
tourist held hostage since January 22 by the group. End
Summary.

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The Casualties
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2.(C) Six days after the deadly ambush of Malian military
forces by fighters from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
(AQIM),there remains uncertainty concerning the exact number
of soldiers involved and casualties sustained by government
forces. Numerous sources now report the number of dead on
the government side at 28, and the weight of speculation
places the number of captured soldiers now held hostage by
AQIM at six, including three Berabiche Arab militiamen and
three soldiers of southern Malian origin. The generally
accurate website kidal.info has reported that the Malian
government has sent a delegation to begin negotiations with
AQIM for the release of the hostages.

3.(C) Numerous sources now confirm the death of Lieutenant
Colonel Hamma Ould Mohamed Yahya, the cousin of the late
Colonel Lamana, who was assassinated on June 10 (ref).
Colonel Hamma was in command of the Malian forces involved in
the ambush, a mixed unit comprising Berabiche Arab militiamen
and Malian regulars. At the current time, it is unclear
whether Colonel Hamma was executed, or if he died from wounds
received in the ambush. Reports that his body was found two
kilometers from the site of the battle suggest that his death
was not immediate and that his body may have been deposited
there after he died in captivity. Further obscuring matters
is Colonel Hamma's complicated relationship with AQIM. Like
Lamana, Colonel Hamma is widely known to have been engaged in
questionable business dealings with AQIM.

4.(C) Having suffered its greatest casualties since 1991, the
Malian military suspended patrols in the area of the battle,
temporarily withdrawing its forces to the relative safety of
Timbuktu. While no official announcement has been made, the
move is likely an attempt to regroup and assess the extent of
the army's damages. The Malian government may also be
attempting to secure assistance from its partners before
reengaging AQIM.

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A Trip to Tessalit - Atrocious Conditions
--------------

5.(C) From July 7 to July 8, a delegation from AFRICOM
visited Malian bases in Gao, Tessalit, and Sevare (near
Mopti). Accompanied by the Embassy's Defense Attache, the
delegation conducted an assessment of the Malian army's
capabilities and needs in the ongoing struggle against AQIM.
At Tessalit, the forward operating base for Mali's operations
against AQIM along the Algerian border (including the area of
Temetrine),the delegation observed a woeful shortage of
basic supplies and logistical support. Roughly one half of
the base was deployed on patrol against AQIM, which left the
Tessalit base with only three operational vehicles, including
two pick-up trucks and one minivan. The base is equipped
with two truck-sized diesel generators, which provide
electricity for only two hours a day. The delegation was
shown the stocks of weapons and ammunition on hand, much of
which dated from the 1960s. The runway, outlined by vehicle
tires serving as markers, was cracked and in bad disrepair.
The base, desperately isolated, is surrounded by open but
gravelly desert with rough mountainous terrain along the
horizon. The temperature in the shade during the

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delegation's visit was reportedly 112 to 115 degrees
fahrenheit.

6.(C) Living conditions on the base are equally harsh. Meals
for the troops consist of sandy rice with bean sauce. Meat
is extraordinarily hard to come by. Although there is a
doctor on the base, there are few bandages or basic medical
supplies. Medical evacuation, when required, takes two days
by vehicle to Gao. For this reason, a major priority for the
commander of the Tessalit base is acquiring an ambulance to
evacuate the wounded. Conditions on deployment are
considerably worse. Lacking shelter, the troops sleep under
their vehicles, and often run short of drinking water.
Despite the inadequacy of supply and the difficulty of the
environment, the delegation reported that the Malian troops
and commanders remain determined in the fight against AQIM,
and are more than willing to engage AQIM if they are properly
equipped.

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Government Press Silent
--------------

7.(C) To date, the Malian government has remained largely
silent about the July 4 attack. On July 6, L'Essor, the
government newspaper, carried a one paragraph story on page
16, noting only that a "skirmish" had occurred while the
Malian Army "pursued" its offensive against AQIM. The
following day, a four paragraph article on page four
acknowledged that the combat had been "very very hard," but
claimed no knowledge of casualty figures. Since July 7, the
Malian government newspaper has carried no information about
the attack.

8.(C) By contrast, the opposition newspaper Le Republicain
published a blistering editorial on July 10, noting that Mali
was "playing the game" of western powers who were "notable in
their absence at the moment of truth." Lamenting that Mali
was becoming "a vast battlefield of titans between the
powerful Al Qaeda and the great powers of the international
community," Le Republicain appeared to tap into the minority
of Malian public opinion that feels Mali does not have a
stake in the battle against AQIM.

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Swiss Hostage Released
--------------

9.(C) On Sunday, July 12, AQIM released the Swiss tourist
Werner Greiner. Greiner was the last of four European
tourists taken hostage by AQIM in January 2009. Recent
reports, citing the observations of a Malian elected official
involved in negotiations for Greiner's release, had indicated
that Greiner's health was rapidly deteriorating in the weeks
leading up to his release. Negotiations had taken place on
several tracks, and at least one Embassy source suggested
that three of the Malian soldiers taken captive on July 4 may
have been released with the Swiss tourist as part of a
package agreement. This has not been confirmed, however, and
officials are, as usual, denying that any ransom was paid.

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Comment: Mali on a Limb
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10. (C) The July 4 attack inflicted the largest number of
casualties on the Malian military since the Tuareg rebellion
of 1991. The military appears momentarily stymied, and the
July 4 attack clearly demonstrated the army's weakness
against a better equipped and more mobile enemy. Press
coverage this week has focused as much on the lack of Western
support for the government operations against Al Qaeda as on
the battle itself, while the silence of the government
newspaper L'Essor suggests the government is still
considering how to play this incident in public.
BARLERIN