Conflict archive

Mali War Weapons and Equipment

Conflict archive for equipment documented in the Mali War and related international stabilization operations active since 2012.

The Mali War began as a northern Tuareg rebellion in January 2012, then widened after jihadist groups overtook much of the rebellion and Mali's state crisis drew in French, African, European Union, and UN operations. The conflict remains centered on northern and central Mali, where government forces and outside partners have fought separatist, jihadist, and local armed groups across desert, urban, road-security, and air-support environments.

The Mali War archive tracks weapon systems and vehicles directly documented in the conflict and associated international operations.

Entries focus on sourced use by the Malian government, international forces, and opposing rebel or jihadist armed groups.

3 weapon systems

Context

Status
Published archive
Location
Northern and central Mali, with spillover across the central Sahel
Countries
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
Regions
Kidal Region, Gao Region, Timbuktu Region, Mopti Region, Liptako-Gourma borderlands
Domains
land, air, UAV, insurgency, border clashes

For the weapons archive, Mali is strongest where sources document specific systems in defined patrol, convoy, air-support, or attack incidents rather than broad claims about mission inventories. The current linked entry reflects protected mobility in MINUSMA intelligence patrols: Dutch personnel used Bushmaster PMVs for reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering patrols around Kidal, including an IED incident in May 2015. Broader archive context includes protected mobility, convoy security, mine and IED threats, rotary- and fixed-wing air support, UAV surveillance and strikes, light infantry weapons, and the difficulty of attributing equipment across overlapping jihadist, separatist, militia, government, UN, French, EU, and Russian-linked actors.

Map

Northern and central Mali, with spillover across the central Sahel

Open map

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Timeline

Key Events

  1. Northern rebellion opens the war

    Tuareg-led rebels began a new northern rebellion, creating the initial armed crisis that later fractured as jihadist groups gained influence over captured areas.

    Sources: Clingendael Roots of Mali Conflict, CFR Sahel Conflict Tracker

  2. Military coup accelerates state collapse

    A mutiny in Bamako became a coup against Mali's elected government, weakening state control while rebels and jihadist groups expanded across northern cities.

    Sources: Clingendael Roots of Mali Conflict, Britannica Mali 2012 Crisis

  3. France launches Operation Serval

    French forces intervened after jihadist columns pushed south toward central Mali, stopping the advance and helping Malian and allied forces retake major northern population centers.

    Sources: CTC Serval Review, CSIS Barkhane Analysis

  4. UN authorizes MINUSMA

    The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2100, establishing MINUSMA to support political processes, stabilization, protection of civilians, and restoration of state authority.

    Sources: UN Resolution 2100

  5. Algiers peace agreement completed

    The final rebel-signatory groups joined the Algiers peace agreement, but implementation remained incomplete amid fragmentation, extremist violence, and unresolved northern governance disputes.

    Sources: SIPRI Mali Peace Process

  6. French forces complete Mali withdrawal

    France completed the withdrawal of its last Barkhane forces from Mali after relations with the transitional authorities deteriorated, reducing Western combat support inside the country.

    Sources: VOA French Forces Leave Mali, CSIS Barkhane Analysis

  7. Security Council terminates MINUSMA mandate

    UN Security Council Resolution 2690 terminated MINUSMA's mandate and ordered a drawdown and withdrawal by the end of 2023 after Mali requested the mission's departure.

    Sources: UN Resolution 2690

  8. Mali ends the Algiers accord

    Mali's military authorities ended the 2015 peace agreement after renewed northern fighting, the recapture of Kidal by government forces, and the final withdrawal of UN peacekeepers.

    Sources: AP Algiers Accord Ends, HRW Mali Peace Deal Ends, VOA Kidal Report

Phases

Jan 16, 2012 - Jan 11, 2013

Rebellion, coup, and northern occupation

The conflict opened with a Tuareg rebellion, a coup in Bamako, and the rapid capture of northern cities by rebel and jihadist forces.

Jan 11, 2013 - Jun 20, 2015

French-led intervention and UN stabilization

Operation Serval pushed jihadist forces out of major cities, while African, EU, and UN missions became central to stabilization, training, and patrol operations.

Jun 20, 2015 - Aug 18, 2020

Peace accord implementation and insurgency diffusion

The Algiers framework created a political track, but implementation lagged as jihadist violence and local armed-group activity spread beyond northern strongholds into central Mali and border areas.

Aug 18, 2020 - Dec 31, 2023

Coups and Western military drawdown

Mali's 2020 and 2021 coups strained relations with France and other Western partners, leading to the Barkhane and Takuba withdrawals, then the Security Council-mandated end of MINUSMA.

Jan 25, 2024 - present

Post-MINUSMA northern confrontation

After Mali ended the Algiers accord, conflict reporting centered on renewed state operations, separatist resistance, jihadist pressure, Russian-linked support to Bamako, and reduced international monitoring.

External Support

Outside military support has shifted repeatedly. France led Operation Serval in 2013 and later Barkhane, while the UN authorized MINUSMA in 2013 and the EU launched EUTM Mali to train and advise Malian forces. After the 2020 and 2021 coups, relations with France and several European partners deteriorated; France, EU partners, and Canada announced withdrawals in 2022, French forces left Mali in August 2022, and MINUSMA's mandate ended in June 2023 with withdrawal by the end of that year. Later reporting used here describes Malian forces operating with Wagner Group or other Russian-linked personnel in renewed northern fighting; this file treats that as conflict-level support context and still requires system-specific sourcing before adding Russian-origin equipment to the archive.

Images

MINUSMA peacekeepers on a long-range patrol in northern Mali
A MINUSMA long-range patrol from Gao in 2019, illustrating the road-security and stabilization environment that shaped international operations in Mali.MINUSMA/Gema Cortes via Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0
Dutch long-range reconnaissance patrol task group personnel in Gao, Mali
Dutch MINUSMA long-range reconnaissance personnel in Gao in 2019, relevant to the archive's current Bushmaster PMV conflict-use context.Sgt. Maj. Gerben van Es / Netherlands Ministry of Defence via Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

1
Mi-24/Mi-35, Attack helicopter and armed assault transport, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsMi-24/Mi-35Attack helicopter and armed assault transportSide: Malian government and international forcesRole: Aerial fire supportBuilt: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Rostvertol / Soviet Union / RussiaThe Mi-24/Mi-35 Hind family combines an armored attack helicopter with limited troop-carrying capacity, giving operators a platform for close air support, anti-armor fires, and armed escort. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine has used legacy and donated Mi-24V/Mi-35 airframes for low-level rocket attacks and adapted some Hinds to carry Western unguided rockets.

Category

Armored Vehicles

Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.

1
Bushmaster PMV, 4x4 protected mobility vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesBushmaster PMV4x4 protected mobility vehicleSide: Malian government and international forcesRole: Protected reconnaissance and intelligence patrolsBuilt: Thales Australia / AustraliaThe Bushmaster PMV is an Australian 4x4 protected mobility vehicle built by Thales Australia to move infantry under mine, IED, small-arms, and artillery-fragment threats. In Ukraine it became a prominent Australian military-aid vehicle, valued for protected troop transport and ambulance variants after Canberra committed multiple batches to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Category

Artillery

Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.

1
MO-120 RT, 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar, ArtilleryArtilleryMO-120 RT120 mm rifled towed heavy mortarSide: Malian government and international forcesRole: Mortar fire support and illuminationBuilt: Brandt / TDA Armements / Thales / FranceThe MO-120 RT is a French 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar developed by Brandt and later associated with TDA/Thales production. Its rifled barrel, two-wheel carriage, and rocket-assisted ammunition option give it longer range than many smoothbore infantry mortars, while remaining towable by light or medium vehicles. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian forces received Belgian MO-120 RT mortars and used the type for front-line indirect fire support.

Conflict Sources

Conflict-level sources are strong for chronology, mission mandates, and international-support context, but equipment attribution remains uneven because Mali's fighting involves overlapping state, UN, French, EU, separatist, jihadist, militia, and Russian-linked actors. Weapon entries should continue to require direct system-specific evidence for Mali War use rather than relying on broad mission inventories or unsourced battlefield claims.

  • Clingendael Roots of Mali ConflictPublisher: Clingendael Institute | Note: Supports the January 2012 rebellion, March 2012 coup chronology, northern-city takeover, and the transformation of the rebellion as jihadist groups gained influence. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • Britannica Mali 2012 CrisisPublisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica | Note: Supports the March 2012 mutiny and coup context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • CTC Serval ReviewPublisher: Combating Terrorism Center at West Point | Note: Supports Operation Serval's launch after the jihadist advance toward central Mali and the French-led campaign context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • CSIS Barkhane AnalysisPublisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies | Note: Supports France's Serval-to-Barkhane role, the 2022 announced withdrawal by France and partners, coup-related strains, and external-support context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • UN Resolution 2100Publisher: United Nations Digital Library | Note: Primary UN source for the 25 April 2013 Security Council resolution establishing MINUSMA. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • SIPRI Mali Peace ProcessPublisher: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | Note: Supports the Algiers peace process, 15 May and 20 June 2015 endorsement dates, and implementation challenges. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • EUTM Mali Mission PagePublisher: European External Action Service | Note: Supports EUTM Mali's 18 February 2013 launch and training/advisory mission for the Malian Armed Forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • VOA French Forces Leave MaliPublisher: Voice of America | Note: Supports the 15 August 2022 departure of the last French forces from Mali and relocation toward Niger. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • UN Resolution 2690Publisher: United Nations Digital Library | Note: Primary UN source for the 30 June 2023 Security Council resolution terminating MINUSMA's mandate. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • VOA Kidal ReportPublisher: Voice of America | Note: Supports Mali's November 2023 claim that its army retook Kidal from rebels. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • AP Algiers Accord EndsPublisher: Associated Press | Note: Supports Mali's January 2024 termination of the 2015 peace agreement and the stated reasons given by the junta. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • HRW Mali Peace Deal EndsPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports the 2023-2024 collapse of the peace deal, renewed northern fighting, Wagner-linked support context, and concerns over reduced monitoring after MINUSMA's withdrawal. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • CFR Sahel Conflict TrackerPublisher: Council on Foreign Relations | Note: Supports Sahel conflict geography, the Liptako-Gourma borderland context, and jihadist group background affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • ECFR Sahel MappingPublisher: European Council on Foreign Relations | Note: Supports the map link, armed-actor complexity, foreign actor presence, and the overlap of jihadist, non-jihadist, and international forces in Mali and the Sahel. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • Wikimedia MINUSMA Patrol ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page; the file is listed as CC BY-SA 4.0 and depicts a MINUSMA long-range patrol from Gao. | Accessed: 2026-06-20
  • Wikimedia Dutch MINUSMA Patrol ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page; the file is listed as CC BY-SA 4.0 with Netherlands Ministry of Defence permission documentation. | Accessed: 2026-06-20