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Raid on Tabankort
Part of Mali War
Date December 10–11, 2014 Location near Tabankort, Gao Region, Mali Result French victory
Belligerents
France	al-Mourabitoun
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Ahmed al-Tilemsi †
Casualties and losses
None	7 killed 3 captured

Between December 10 and 11, 2014, French forces ambushed militants from al-Mourabitoun near Tabankort, Gao Region, Mali. The ambush led to the death of Ahmed al-Tilemsi, the founder of MOJWA and a key figure in al-Mourabitoun.

Ambush

Following "opportunity intelligence" received by the French army, French forces conducted an operation against a group of jihadists suspected to be active in the locality of Tabankort. The Malian Ministry of Defense stated that French and Malian forces were carrying out a joint operation in the area, but France claimed that Malian forces did not participate; only intelligence and local authorities. The raid began at dawn, with French special forces ambushing a camp where around fifteen jihadists were gathered. The jihadists tried to fight back, but all were subdued.

Aftermath

The Malian Ministry of Defense stated ten jihadists were killed or captured in the raid, with a follow-up statement detailing seven killed and three captured. Among the dead was Ahmed al-Tilemsi, the emir of MOJWA and a senior figure in al-Mourabitoun. The French did not report any losses.

Al-Mourabitoun confirmed Tilemsi's death along with six other fighters in a message given to Mauritanian news agency Alakhbar on January 6, 2015.

References

1. "Neutralisation d'un groupe armé terroriste au Mali par une opération conjointe des forces maliennes et Barkhane". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
2. "Mali: l'un des chefs du Mujao et dix de ses hommes "neutralisés" par l'armée française". lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
3. ^ "Mort d'Ahmed al-Tilemsi: les détails de l'opération française". RFI (in French). 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
4. "La France élimine un émir djihadiste malien". Le Figaro (in French). 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
5. ^ "Neutralisation d'un groupe armé terroriste au Mali par une opération conjointe des forces maliennes et Barkhane". malijet.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
6. "Mali : la mort d'Ahmed el-Tilemsi, un coup dur pour le Mujao et Belmokhtar - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
7. La-Croix.com (2014-12-11). "La France élimine un important dirigeant djihadiste au Sahel". La Croix (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
8. "Alakhbar | Mali : les forces françaises tuent le chef jihadiste, Ahmed Telmissi". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.

• Battles of the Mali War in 2014
• Gao Region in the Mali War
• Battles of the Mali War involving France
• December 2014 events in Mali
• Ambushes of the Mali War
• French intelligence operations
• Military raids