Battle of Tabankort (2015)
Battle of Tabankort (2015) – easy version
From January 16 to 20, 2015, fighting erupted in Tabankort in Mali’s Gao region between Platform and the CMA. Platform is a pro-government alliance that includes GATIA, the loyalist MAA faction, and CM-FPR II. The CMA coalition includes MNLA, HCUA, and a dissident MAA faction. The battle also involved MINUSMA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, and Dutch troops were on the ground.
What happened
- Early clashes on January 16–17 produced fighting but unclear casualties.
- On January 19, the CMA launched a major operation and asked MINUSMA to leave Tabankort. The Dutch peacekeepers refused to withdraw.
- On January 20, a Dutch helicopter fired missiles at an MNLA vehicle carrying heavy weapons after warning shots were not followed. MINUSMA said it was forced to use force; CMA denied firing on peacekeepers. Fighting continued that day.
- Two hundred demonstrators gathered at Kidal Airport in protest after the attack.
Casualties
- Casualty figures were disputed and varied by side. CMA reported 11 CMA fighters killed and 21 wounded; Platform claimed 26 Platform fighters killed and said it destroyed several CMA vehicles, with additional claims of enemy casualties. MINUSMA reported around 25 Platform injuries. Other sides gave different tallies, making exact numbers unclear.
Aftermath and demilitarized zone
- On January 24, MINUSMA and CMA agreed to a 10-kilometer demilitarized zone between Anefif and Almoustarat. Protests in Gao followed, and MINUSMA peacekeepers faced gunfire; three civilians were killed and several injured. The plan was scrapped on January 28.
- The fighting concluded with Platform and MINUSMA in control of Tabankort and CMA controlling nearby areas such as Anefif, highlighting the ongoing tensions and fragility of security arrangements in the region.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:14 (CET).