Malian Army Kills Foreign ISIS Leader, Abu Dahdah, in Ménaka Region Raid

The Malian armed forces, in collaboration with their partners, killed a senior foreign commander of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), also known as Daesh, during a military operation in the town of Chimam, 38 kilometres from Ménaka, on Friday, June 28, 2025.

According to a statement from Mali’s military, the precision raid was based on credible intelligence and targeted a man known by the alias “Abu Dahdah,” a Moroccan and deputy to field commander Abu Al-Gabassa. They also reported that his bodyguard and several other militants were killed in the same operation, with weapons and ammunition recovered from the site.

Dahdah is believed to have played a role in the recent terrorist attack on Banibango in Niger. According to reports, these terrorists were among those responsible for mass killings that left hundreds of civilians dead in Ménaka and Gao in 2022.

His death is a blow to ISGS operations in the border region between Mali and Niger, an area that has seen rising jihadist activity in recent years.

The Malian government praised the operation, calling it a major success in the ongoing fight against terrorism and a demonstration of the army’s commitment to protecting national sovereignty and civilian lives.

ISGS has been active in the tri-border region between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. The group has been linked to numerous atrocities, including attacks on villages, ambushes on security forces, and the displacement of entire communities.

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