Manny Ita –
Mali’s military junta said on Saturday it was engaged in intense fighting against what it described as “terrorist groups” following coordinated surprise attacks on areas around the capital Bamako and several other parts of the country.
According to the army, helicopters were deployed over Bamako and near the international airport as clashes broke out at a nearby military base, in what officials described as one of the most serious and complex assaults since the junta seized power in 2020 and 2021.
A military statement said: “Terrorist groups, not yet identified, early this morning targeted certain points and barracks in the capital and the interior” of the country.
It added: “We call on the population to be vigilant. Our defence and security forces are engaged in annihilating the attackers.”
Residents reported heavy gunfire and panic across parts of the capital, with fighting also spreading to towns in the west and central regions, including areas near Kati, where junta leader General Assimi Goita resides.
One resident said armed groups had briefly taken control of a military camp in the Samakebougou neighbourhood of Kati, adding that there was “heavy” fighting as government forces attempted to regain control. The whereabouts of General Goita remained unclear during the clashes.
There was also speculation over the condition of Defence Minister General Sadio Camara after reports of an explosion that damaged his residence in Kati. However, his associates said he was not at home during the incident and confirmed he was “safe”.
Despite the scale of the attacks, the army later said: “The situation is under control,” adding that “several terrorists have been neutralised and equipment destroyed.”
Fighting was also reported in northern and central Mali, including Gao, Kidal and Sevare, as insecurity spread across multiple fronts. Witnesses described deserted streets in Bamako as helicopters continued to circle overhead.
The Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed it had taken control of the northern city of Kidal. An FLA spokesman, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, said: “Our FLA troops control Kidal, most of Kidal.” He added that “the governor of Kidal has taken refuge with his men in the former camp of MINUSMA,” referring to the former United Nations mission base in the city.
The FLA also shared images it said showed military positions occupied by Malian forces and Russian personnel, though these claims could not be independently verified.
Mali’s government, however, has labelled the FLA a “terrorist” organisation, while also facing a prolonged insurgency involving jihadist groups. Analysts note that the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), linked to Al-Qaeda, has recently increased pressure through attacks on fuel convoys heading to Bamako, worsening shortages in the capital.
The crisis unfolds amid a wider breakdown of security in Mali, where jihadist violence, separatist rebellions and criminal networks have destabilised large parts of the country since 2012. Thousands have been killed and many more displaced.
The junta has also shifted its international alliances in recent years, cutting ties with France and several Western partners while deepening cooperation with Russia.
Political uncertainty continues as the military leadership, which initially promised a return to civilian rule by March 2024, later extended General Goita’s rule with a five-year mandate renewable without elections.
