Battle of Konna
2013 CE.
Shown on the map at 14.950°, -3.883°.
The Battle of Konna was a battle in the Northern Mali Conflict fought in January 2013 in the town of Konna in central Mali. Various Islamic fundamentalist rebels fought against the government of Mali which was supported by French soldiers participating in Operation Serval. This battle was among the first French engagements in their intervention in the Mali War. The fighting first started when rebel fighters disguised as passengers on a public bus infiltrated the town. The bus was stopped at a Malian army checkpoint on the outskirts of Konna. As soldiers entered the bus to search it, the Islamists opened fire, killing the soldiers. Additional rebels then poured into the town. After several hours of fighting, the Malian army was routed to its base, abandoning the town to the rebels and reportedly leaving several heavy weapons and armored vehicles behind. Around 25 Malian soldiers were killed. An estimated 1,200 Islamist fighters advanced to within 20 kilometers of Mopti, a Mali military garrison town. The battle ended in a victory for the Malian government and France, with rebel fighters driven out of the town.
Text from the Wikipedia article Battle of Konna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.