The Azawad Liberation Front announced that on Saturday morning, August 23, 2025, it carried out a suicide drone attack on the prefecture headquarters in Tessalit, where a major meeting was being held between FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) and Africa Corps. The attack resulted in multiple deaths, several injuries, and significant material damage.
Since September 2024, the Azawad region has witnessed a significant escalation in the use of drones as a primary weapon in confrontations against Malian forces and Wagner group mercenaries. These operations are not limited to aerial strikes; they also target command and communication centers, illustrating a major tactical evolution by the Azawad Liberation Front.
Among notable drone attacks carried out by Azawadian drones against the Malian army:
- Goundam – September 11, 2024
Aerial drone attack on a camp of Malian forces and Wagner mercenaries, causing substantial material damage. - Timbuktu – September 22, 2024
Attack with two drones on Malian Independence Day; one drone was used to film the operation. Human and material losses were reported. - Léré – September 25, 2024
Attack on a Malian army camp, resulting in destruction of military equipment and human casualties. - Goundam – October 4, 2024
Another aerial attack causing human and material losses among Malian forces. - Tessalit – May 5, 2025
A precise raid on the “Amchach” camp in the Kidal region, with dense smoke columns observed. A Malian drone surveillance from the Gao base monitored the operation. - Léré – May 9, 2025
Suicide drone attacks targeting Wagner mercenaries and the Malian army, destroying drone-control systems and Wagner’s headquarters, causing heavy human and material losses. - Soumpi – May 26, 2025
Aerial raids on a camp of Malian forces and the Wagner group, with human and material casualties, marking a shift to “strategic attacks” by the Azawadians. - Léré – June 22, 2025
A precise air strike on a military convoy along the Léré–Soumpi axis, causing serious losses and demonstrating the advanced intelligence, surveillance, and targeting capabilities of Azawadian forces. - Aguelouk – August 20, 2025
Drone attack on a camp of the Malian army and the Africa Corps in the town, resulting in destruction of military vehicles and loss of life, showcasing the precision and effectiveness of the drones.
Losses and Implications:
These attacks indicate that Azawadian drones have shifted the balance of power in the region, now representing a real threat to the military structure of the occupying Malian forces and Wagner/Africa Corps mercenaries, causing considerable human and equipment losses.
Tactical Strategy and Response:
These operations are not solely military offensives but also a direct response to aerial strikes by Malian forces on civilians since 2023. These strikes are alleged to have caused the deaths of more than 600 civilians, with 99% of the attacks targeting civilian objectives. They have triggered widespread local and international condemnation.
In this context, Azawadian drones now aim at military bases and convoys to limit the Mali forces’ capacity to conduct aerial strikes on civilian populations. This reflects a sophisticated tactical shift, with increased use of intelligence, surveillance, and targeting capabilities to strike precise military objectives.
