Located less than two kilometres from Kidira, on the border between Senegal and Mali, Diboli, a Malian village, was attacked at dawn on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in a coordinated offensive led by suspected jihadists. During the attack, vehicles, motorcycles, and other objects were set ablaze.

The gunfire came from both far away and so close. Only 2 km from Kidira. This Tuesday will not soon be forgotten by the populations living along the Senegalese-Malian border. They saw their usual calm disrupted. In a statement released yesterday, the Malian General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMGA) announced that the positions of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) in Niono, Molodo, Sandaré, Nioro du Sahel, Gogui, Kayes, and Diboli were simultaneously attacked by armed gangs.

In Diboli, some 2 km from Senegal, they targeted security force installations: police stations, customs posts, and set fire to vehicles and motorcycles. This is so frightening, because the threat remains both so distant and so close. Especially since this is the first time that a border post so close to Senegal has been the direct target of such a coordinated and spectacular assault, demonstrating the jihadists’ ability to move within Malian territory, which has been torn apart by armed gangs for over a decade.

This Tuesday, the jihadists interrupted their morning sleep in large numbers on motorcycles, a source reported. It was 6 a.m. when they burst into the village. « Heavy gunfire was heard, » our source added. While no claim of responsibility has been made and no official death toll has been reported, it has been learned that one person was shot dead. « The individual was returning from morning prayers, » the source explained.

Regardless, the population is gripped by fear. On the Senegalese side, the rapid and prompt deployment of the Defense Forces has helped strengthen the security barrier in recent years through the construction of the Goudiry camp, inaugurated in December 2022, Military Zone No. 4, and the Rapid Action Surveillance and Intervention Group (GARSI).

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The Defense and Security Forces (FDS) quickly invaded the area to contain any attacks. Traffic was even blocked for several hours on this strategic route.

It wasn’t until around 11 a.m. that the measure was lifted, allowing traffic to resume. It’s important to note that on both sides there is a village called Diboli, whose populations share everything, demonstrating that the border is simply a geographical boundary. So, if one coughs, the other sneezes. Now, with this attack, the time has come to better secure the borders to prevent any jihadist attacks.

By Abdoulaye FALL / afall@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH