Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
A Malian Armed Forces soldier in Ndaki in July 2019. Photo: Reuters/Benoit Tessier
The second major assault against Mali's armed forces this month left at least 54 people — including one civilian — dead on Friday, AP reports. Mali's government confirmed details of the Jihadist attack on Saturday.
What's happening: The French military has helped maintain control in Mali after the attack and is helping evacuate the wounded, a government spokesperson told AP. No group has currently claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, but "jihadists with links to the Islamic State group" are active in the region, per AP.
The backdrop: France and Mali have acted together as strategic partners to fight Islamic extremism, most notably in France's successful 2013 operation in the country. The U.S. has stationed troops in the Sahel region, including Niger, and provided services like counterroadside bomb training, per the New York Times.