M
Mordoror
Guest
It seems we missed this one (dating from mid-April)
thedefensepost.com
More detailed reports have emerged
This seems to have been pretty intense
Translation (google) :
On 14 April 2018, the MINUSMA camp in Timbuktu (central Mali), called "Super Camp", and the adjacent right-of-way of Operation Barkhane located near the airport suffered a complex attack from 14H, coordinated and massive.
After a dozen shots of mortars and rockets type CHICOM, 3 booby-trapped vehicles painted in the colors of the UN or the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) tried to force the entrances, supposed to pave the way for a score of jihadist elements infantry of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) who, for some wearers of explosive belts and disguised with uniforms, wanted to take advantage of the chaotic situation to enter the walled enclosure (guard posts, walls enclosures, baffles, bastion walls, barbed wire, etc.).
There would be things to tell about the actions of the few French soldiers present at the beginning of the attack ... Usually sheltering the equivalent of an infantry company with its support and support, the French influence that day was almost empty, patrols outside and long-term operations in the surrounding area succeeding each other.
While around 15h, the 1st vehicle explodes at the entrance of the French camp and causes by the blast of the explosion the first French wounded, a second approaches, refusing to stop and causing the response of the guard staff.
For some, it's the beginning of a major consumption of their chargers FAMAS or HK to stop the vehicle that will finally be stopped by the firing.
A legionnaire, of Nepalese origin, maneuver his armored VAB after the first explosion to block access to any other car bombs, then climbs into the turret 12.7mm to the right of the cockpit to empty some ammunition strips.
Following the vehicles and taking advantage of the confusion of the explosions, several groups of jihadist fighters are trying to assault the French positions. The attackers are then in almost sur-number. Among the French soldiers present, a small dozen legionaries guard (13th DBLE, and a foreign regiment of engineers at least) and some teammates of a research team of the 2nd Regiment of Hussards (RH) who quickly joined their fighting stations at entrances (while some blue helmets are also present). Some will use their PA (automatic pistol), handgun in double endowment, lack of chargers still full for their FAMAS or HK, and will engage the enemy at short distance (less than 20 meters) which goes up to the assault in several waves.
The MINUSMA peacekeepers from the side camp (including Burkinabe, Ghanaian, Nigerian and Liberian) had priority to protect themselves from indirect fire (mortars, rockets, etc.) that had been fired at the beginning of the attack. The first reinforcements to arrive are the French support staff present on the camp. Thus, if there were recently legitimate Military Value Crosses awarded to the few hussars and legionaries (at the Camerone ceremony in 2019 for the latter) who were then on the camp, there was also, more rare, Military Values awarded to personnel serving in training support for their actions.
At least one site major (chief warrant officer), a specialized human support operator, and a cook (both master corporals) from defense bases (GSBDD) took part in the fighting, posting themselves, carrying out effective fire to neutralize at least 2 attackers, performing extractions under the fire of wounded, and providing first aid. The wounded were then supported by the medical structure of the Swedish reconnaissance unit of the Minusma before the French means of medical evacuation arrived (Swedish particularly reactive and professional). For his staff, move from combatant support to support fighters.
"Even the cook shot that day", an example repeated during the phases of conditioning before projection to emphasize the importance of mastering the fundamentals of the fighter by all. And a strong argument in the will of the CEMA to remilitarize its support (SSA, SEA, SID, SCA, etc.) or a "military hardening", and not entirely rely on civilian personnel or private providers . "Every soldier is a fighter" remains a mantra that proves its relevance, especially on its isolated posts (or Desert Platforms PfDR Relay) where all are involved in the defense of the rights of way (make guards, hold a checkpoint, ensure the teleoperated turret screens (TOP).
In addition to a recovery of the blue helmets (takeoff of Salvadoran light helicopters for example, coordinated movements of infantry elements of Burkina), the attack is known from the command post of Barkhane, and reinforcements are sent on the spot . At least 2 Mirage 2000 coming from Niamey that will bring its observation capabilities from the air and will perform low passages (show of force), then a Tiger attack helicopter patrol from Gao. Running out of fuel and therefore in limit of playtime on zone, the Tiger will leave 10 minutes before 3 helicopter of maneuver NH-90 carrying means of medical evacuation and commandos of the Grouping of Commandos Parachutists (GCP) arrive.
Without air support and without guiding from the ground, while being shot at with light weapons, the crews of helicopters NH-90, not rewarded to this day, will improvise a zone to pose and yet deposit their GCP at the nearest fighting in progress. They will participate in the reduction of resistance and searches, as well as the first aid of the wounded, before their evacuation for the most critical of Gao. A party is also made by tactical transport device CASA which has also scrambled commandos via the runway of the airport of Timbuktu, then secured by Ivorian units.
Update (1): Personnel from the Army Health Service (SSA), whose advanced aid station had been destroyed completely destroyed by a mortar shell from the beginning of the attack (and reduced to a similar state to the tent below), also initially cared for the wounded (before the valuable Swedish aid, whose contingent had advanced surgical means). With little equipment, they managed to keep all of them alive, alone for several hours, despite, for some, significant injuries. A medical auxiliary (master corporal) of the Foreign Legion (1st foreign regiment - RE) will be seriously affected that day by providing assistance to wounded, and legitimately rewarded during the last Camerone (Military Value with palm).
Mali militants disguised as peacekeepers attack French and UN bases killing one, injuring dozens
A rocket and car bomb attack by militants wearing blue helmets left one UN peacekeeper dead, a dozen wounded and another dozen French soldiers hurt at Timbuktu's airport area, Mali's security ministry said
thedefensepost.com
More detailed reports have emerged
This seems to have been pretty intense
Translation (google) :
On 14 April 2018, the MINUSMA camp in Timbuktu (central Mali), called "Super Camp", and the adjacent right-of-way of Operation Barkhane located near the airport suffered a complex attack from 14H, coordinated and massive.
After a dozen shots of mortars and rockets type CHICOM, 3 booby-trapped vehicles painted in the colors of the UN or the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) tried to force the entrances, supposed to pave the way for a score of jihadist elements infantry of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) who, for some wearers of explosive belts and disguised with uniforms, wanted to take advantage of the chaotic situation to enter the walled enclosure (guard posts, walls enclosures, baffles, bastion walls, barbed wire, etc.).
There would be things to tell about the actions of the few French soldiers present at the beginning of the attack ... Usually sheltering the equivalent of an infantry company with its support and support, the French influence that day was almost empty, patrols outside and long-term operations in the surrounding area succeeding each other.
While around 15h, the 1st vehicle explodes at the entrance of the French camp and causes by the blast of the explosion the first French wounded, a second approaches, refusing to stop and causing the response of the guard staff.
For some, it's the beginning of a major consumption of their chargers FAMAS or HK to stop the vehicle that will finally be stopped by the firing.
A legionnaire, of Nepalese origin, maneuver his armored VAB after the first explosion to block access to any other car bombs, then climbs into the turret 12.7mm to the right of the cockpit to empty some ammunition strips.
Following the vehicles and taking advantage of the confusion of the explosions, several groups of jihadist fighters are trying to assault the French positions. The attackers are then in almost sur-number. Among the French soldiers present, a small dozen legionaries guard (13th DBLE, and a foreign regiment of engineers at least) and some teammates of a research team of the 2nd Regiment of Hussards (RH) who quickly joined their fighting stations at entrances (while some blue helmets are also present). Some will use their PA (automatic pistol), handgun in double endowment, lack of chargers still full for their FAMAS or HK, and will engage the enemy at short distance (less than 20 meters) which goes up to the assault in several waves.
The MINUSMA peacekeepers from the side camp (including Burkinabe, Ghanaian, Nigerian and Liberian) had priority to protect themselves from indirect fire (mortars, rockets, etc.) that had been fired at the beginning of the attack. The first reinforcements to arrive are the French support staff present on the camp. Thus, if there were recently legitimate Military Value Crosses awarded to the few hussars and legionaries (at the Camerone ceremony in 2019 for the latter) who were then on the camp, there was also, more rare, Military Values awarded to personnel serving in training support for their actions.
At least one site major (chief warrant officer), a specialized human support operator, and a cook (both master corporals) from defense bases (GSBDD) took part in the fighting, posting themselves, carrying out effective fire to neutralize at least 2 attackers, performing extractions under the fire of wounded, and providing first aid. The wounded were then supported by the medical structure of the Swedish reconnaissance unit of the Minusma before the French means of medical evacuation arrived (Swedish particularly reactive and professional). For his staff, move from combatant support to support fighters.
"Even the cook shot that day", an example repeated during the phases of conditioning before projection to emphasize the importance of mastering the fundamentals of the fighter by all. And a strong argument in the will of the CEMA to remilitarize its support (SSA, SEA, SID, SCA, etc.) or a "military hardening", and not entirely rely on civilian personnel or private providers . "Every soldier is a fighter" remains a mantra that proves its relevance, especially on its isolated posts (or Desert Platforms PfDR Relay) where all are involved in the defense of the rights of way (make guards, hold a checkpoint, ensure the teleoperated turret screens (TOP).
In addition to a recovery of the blue helmets (takeoff of Salvadoran light helicopters for example, coordinated movements of infantry elements of Burkina), the attack is known from the command post of Barkhane, and reinforcements are sent on the spot . At least 2 Mirage 2000 coming from Niamey that will bring its observation capabilities from the air and will perform low passages (show of force), then a Tiger attack helicopter patrol from Gao. Running out of fuel and therefore in limit of playtime on zone, the Tiger will leave 10 minutes before 3 helicopter of maneuver NH-90 carrying means of medical evacuation and commandos of the Grouping of Commandos Parachutists (GCP) arrive.
Without air support and without guiding from the ground, while being shot at with light weapons, the crews of helicopters NH-90, not rewarded to this day, will improvise a zone to pose and yet deposit their GCP at the nearest fighting in progress. They will participate in the reduction of resistance and searches, as well as the first aid of the wounded, before their evacuation for the most critical of Gao. A party is also made by tactical transport device CASA which has also scrambled commandos via the runway of the airport of Timbuktu, then secured by Ivorian units.
Update (1): Personnel from the Army Health Service (SSA), whose advanced aid station had been destroyed completely destroyed by a mortar shell from the beginning of the attack (and reduced to a similar state to the tent below), also initially cared for the wounded (before the valuable Swedish aid, whose contingent had advanced surgical means). With little equipment, they managed to keep all of them alive, alone for several hours, despite, for some, significant injuries. A medical auxiliary (master corporal) of the Foreign Legion (1st foreign regiment - RE) will be seriously affected that day by providing assistance to wounded, and legitimately rewarded during the last Camerone (Military Value with palm).
