Armed Groups Launch Coordinated Attacks Across Mali

Armed groups launched coordinated attacks across Mali on Saturday morning, targeting military installations in Bamako, Gao, Kidal, Sevare and Mopti. The Malian army reported ongoing fighting but claimed to have the situation under control.

The attacks involved heavy gunfire and explosions near government buildings and major military installations. In Bamako, sustained gunfire was heard near Modibo Keïta International Airport, forcing flight cancellations. Similar incidents were reported in Sevare, Kidal, Gao and Mopti. The U.S. Embassy urged American citizens to shelter in place and avoid travel.

Videos circulating on social media suggest the attacks were carried out by militants linked to Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, along with Tuareg rebels from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the FLA, claimed that fighters had seized control of multiple areas in Gao and Kidal. The Malian government stated that its security forces were engaged in repelling the attackers.

The attacks come amid escalating instability in Mali, which has faced insurgencies by groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as a long-running Tuareg-led separatist rebellion. The country's military junta, led by Gen. Assimi Goïta, seized power in 2020 and has since turned to Russian-backed mercenaries from the Wagner Group, now known as Africa Corps, to address worsening insecurity.

Two explosions and sustained gunfire were heard shortly before 6am near Mali’s main military base Kati. Shots rang out for more than four hours in the area as army helicopters flew overhead. A witness in Sevare said there was 'gunfire everywhere'. Two other witnesses said defence minister Sadio Camara's house in Kati was hit and destroyed.