This is a global war in which essentially the entire world has decided that honest analysis of its motivating ideology is wrong, and must never be done, on pain of demonization, ostracism, deplatforming, and worse. Is that any way to win a war? Of course not.
“Militants kill 54 in attack on Mali army post, ISIS claims responsibility,” Reuters, November 3, 2019:
BAMAKO, Mali — At least 53 soldiers and one civilian have been killed in an attack on an army post in northern Mali, the government said, in one of the deadliest strikes against the West African country’s military in recent memory.
Islamic state claimed responsibility for the attack via its Amaq news agency on Saturday, without providing evidence.
The militant group has posted dozens of claims of responsibility for attacks in several countries since U.S. special forces killed its previous leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last weekend.
The authorities first reported the attack in Indelimane, Menaka region, on Friday, but gave a lower provisional death toll.
“Heavily armed unidentified men attacked around noon. The attack started with shellfire … Then they retreated toward Niger,” government spokesman Yaya Sangare told Reuters on Saturday….