Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM used drones and armoured vehicles in assault on Mali's San military base

JNIM, an al-Qaeda-affiliated coalition, claimed the August 9 attack on Mali's San military base. The Malian army said militants deployed drones, heavy machine guns, and armoured vehicles to breach the perimeter. The army says it killed about 40 fighters but acknowledged a temporary retreat. AFP reports at least 10 soldiers died. Drone use by a Sahel jihadist group, if confirmed, signals a notable tactical shift.