Russian Warplane Reportedly Downed as Militants Capture Malian Troops in Coordinated Assault

Security analyst Brant Philip has claimed that armed militants launched a series of coordinated attacks on military positions across Mali on Saturday, reportedly capturing several Malian soldiers and possibly bringing down a Russian military aircraft.

According to Philip, who shared updates on the social media platform X, the attacks targeted key Malian army positions in Aguelhok, Gao, Sevaré, Anefis and Kenioroba. He identified the groups behind the offensive as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA).

Philip also reported unconfirmed claims that a Russian Africa Corps Su-24 fighter jet crashed near Gao after allegedly being struck by anti-aircraft fire in the vicinity of Anefis.

He stated that the aircraft was reportedly hit before crashing, while heavy smoke was seen rising from the Gao Air Base following the incident.

Despite the reports circulating online, there has been no independent verification of the alleged crash. Russian and Malian authorities had not issued any official statement confirming the loss of the aircraft as of the time of reporting.

Philip further claimed that personnel from the Russian Africa Corps were actively engaged alongside Malian government forces in efforts to repel the coordinated offensive launched by JNIM and the FLA against military positions in Gao, Anefis and Aguelhok.

In addition to the reported aircraft incident, he alleged that more Malian soldiers were captured by FLA fighters during clashes in Anefis.

The reported attacks underscore the continuing security challenges facing Mali, where government forces, supported by Russian military personnel, have been battling insurgent and separatist groups across the country’s northern and central regions. However, several of the claims surrounding Saturday’s fighting, including the reported downing of the Russian jet, remain unverified pending official confirmation.