| Battle of In Khalil | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Northern Mali conflict | ||||||||
  Khalil Battle of In Khalil (Mali) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
 MNLA France |
 Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA) |
 MOJWA Ansar al-Sharia (Mali) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
|
Bilal Ag Acherif |
Boubacar Taleb |
Oumar Ould Hamaha Hussein Ghoulam | ||||||
| Units involved | ||||||||
|
French Air Force | unknown | unknown | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
| unknown |
unknown 32 armoured vehicles | unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
|
3 killed 4 wounded |
3 killed 9 captured | unknown | ||||||
The Battle of In Khalil took place on 22–23 February 2013 and was part of the first stage of the Mali War.
According to the MNLA, the first suicide bomber attempted to drive his car into a building, but the car was destroyed by fighters ahead of impact. A second car then drove into the group's local operations center and exploded, instantly killing four including three MNLA fighters and the bomber. The MUJAO immediately claimed responsibility for both bombings and said it specifically targeted the MNLA for their part in siding with the French intervention.
On 23 February, the MAA claimed to have attacked In-Khalil and taken full control over the area. The MNLA then renewed a counter-attack on Khalil. Over the course of the fighting French fighter jets regularly supported MNLA units. The battle resulted in the French-MNLA forces re-taking the town of In Khalil from the Islamist groups Ansar Dine and AQIM.[citation needed]