Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Al-Qaeda's branch in the Sahel, launched a coordinated assault on Malian towns and villages on July 1st. Several army bases and police stations were targeted in the offensive, as well as critical infrastructure. The Malian Armed Forces claimed to have killed 80 JNIM fighters in the attacks, with JNIM stating that they had overrun 7 Malian military positions. JNIM has not released any footage to back this claim, making it unlikely that the attack had any strategic significance for the group. Although the offensive was a strategic setback for the group, it was a symbolic victory, particularly after the Malian Junta has proclaimed an increasingly stable security situation.