Battle of the Foulsaré Forest

French forces launched the offensive on April 29. A group of jihadists was spotted by French Mirage 2000s, and subsequently shot at by Tigers and a Cayman which deployed French commandos from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade.^[7][8] The helicopters and commandos pursued the jihadists, who did not put up a fight and instead broke up into various groups carrying their dead and wounded.^[9] At the end of the night, mine clearance teams and more commandos were airlifted to the site.^[9] French soldiers began combing the area around 5:30am. A skirmish broke out between jihadist remnants and French forces, but the jihadists quickly fled. French forces withdrew by the end of the day.^[8][10]

By daybreak, twenty jihadists were either killed or injured, according to the French army.^[5] One of the jihadists present during the battle was Ibrahim Malam Dicko, the leader of Ansarul Islam, who was targeted by French helicopters.^[9] He managed to flee the battle, although died several days later due to his diabetes.^[9] Burkinabe military sources stated his death was practically certain.^[9] Le Monde reported that a member of Dicko's entourage stated he died of exhaustion after the battle, and had no trace of injury on his body. Following the raid, he had no food and resources, and was buried where he laid.^[11]