Multiple gunmen launch coordinated attacks in Mali

Multiple locations in Mali, including Bamako and several other areas, were targeted in an apparent coordinated attack by multiple groups on Saturday morning. According to the Malian army, the assault involved “terrorist groups” that attacked military barracks in Bamako and other locations.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud explosions and sustained gunfire near the Kati military base outside Bamako, as well as similar unrest in the central town of Sevare, the town of Kidal, and the city of Gao in northern Mali. A witness described the situation as “gunfire everywhere.”

The attack occurred shortly before 6am local time, with a helicopter patrolling nearby neighborhoods. The use of heavy weaponry and automatic rifle gunfire was also reported near Modibo Keita International Airport.

Mali has been experiencing armed unrest for over a decade, with attacks by West Africa affiliates of al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) as well as a long-standing Tuareg-led rebellion in the north. In 2020 and 2021, Mali underwent two military coups, leading to the country’s expulsion of French forces and United Nations peacekeeping missions.

In July last year, General Assimi Goita was granted a five-year presidential mandate by military authorities, which can be renewed without an election. Russia’s Wagner Group, which had been aiding Malian forces since 2021, has now rebranded as the Africa Corps under the direct control of the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Mali, along with Burkina Faso and Niger, formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023 to combat groups across the Sahel region.

Source: Al Jazeera