In the town of San, Malian authorities report that their soldiers successfully repelled a two-hour assault on a military base by jihadist militants affiliated with al-Qaeda, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The attack started at around 05:00 local time on Sunday, with the assailants arriving on motorcycles and foot, some disguised in army uniforms. According to Lieutenant Colonel El Oumrani, commander of the 23rd regiment in the San garrison, approximately 40 terrorists were killed during the battle, and the attack was successfully repelled. However, at least 10 soldiers were also reportedly killed in the fighting, and the assailants temporarily took control of the camp before retreating. The Malian army denies ceding control of the base and insists that it remains under their custody. The attack comes amidst deteriorating security conditions in Mali, more than a decade after a jihadist insurgency began taking root in the north of the country. JNIM has recently expanded its operations to target not only northern but also central and southern Mali, showing an ability to penetrate deeper into the territory despite numerous military operations. The Malian government, which has rejected French military help since the 2020 coup, instead turned to Russia for assistance.