Several Industrial Sites Attacked in Mali

Several industrial facilities in Mali’s Kayes region were attacked overnight between Saturday and Sunday, January 11, 2026, in the Bafoulabé district, local sources said. 

The coordinated assaults, which involved arson and kidnappings, took place in an area that has been under curfew since July due to worsening insecurity.

According to local reports, heavily armed assailants, estimated to number more than 100 and travelling on motorcycles, carried out simultaneous attacks on multiple industrial sites along National Route 22 early Sunday. 

The attackers were reportedly seen in the town of Selinkegny before splitting into groups to strike several locations at once.

The targeted facilities included the Diamond Cement plant in Gangontéry, the Carrière et Chaux du Mali quarry in Karaga, and the Stones factory. 

Construction equipment, including loaders and a bus, was set ablaze, causing extensive material damage and thick plumes of smoke over the affected sites.

Reports indicated that at least three people were abducted from the Diamond Cement plant, though some local sources suggested the number could be as high as four. 

Authorities had not released any official information on fatalities or injuries at the time of reporting.

Diamond Cement later acknowledged the attack in a statement posted on its social media platforms, confirming that several factories, including at least one foreign-owned company, had been targeted.

In response, local authorities announced the temporary suspension of river crossings in the area as a security precaution.

Since July 1, 2025, Bafoulabé and much of the region have been subject to a nighttime curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., alongside restrictions on the movement of people, vehicles, and motorcycles.

A report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recorded 101 security incidents and 222 civilian casualties in the region between January 1 and June 30, 2025, in an area with an estimated population of more than 813,000.

Security analysts say the repeated targeting of these facilities reflects a broader pattern linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which has escalated attacks on economic infrastructure across Mali since 2025. 

In recent months, the group has focused on strategic assets, including fuel tanker convoys, construction equipment, roads, and industrial installations, particularly in the western and central parts of the country.