Mali: Fresh Terrorist Attack Hits Industrial Sites in Bafoulabé

West Africa WeeklyJanuary 15, 20261 Mins read350

A new armed attack struck the Bafoulabé district in Mali’s Kayes region during the night of 10 to 11 January 2026, targeting several industrial facilities, including the Stones factory, which specialises in the production of tiles and lime.

According to local reports, heavily armed men riding motorcycles carried out coordinated assaults on multiple industrial sites, causing significant material damage. Machinery and installations were reportedly vandalised or destroyed. The Stones factory had previously been attacked and set ablaze in July 2025, raising concerns about repeated targeting.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement, and there is no confirmed information on casualties at this stage.

Security analysts say the attack signals a westward expansion of insecurity in Mali, with armed groups increasingly focusing on economic infrastructure. By targeting industrial facilities, attackers appear intent on disrupting local economic activity and spreading fear among communities.

The Kayes–Bafoulabé axis is now emerging as a worrying new front in Mali’s deepening security crisis, adding to the broader instability across the Sahel region.