Coordinated attacks hit Mali; fighting ongoing in capital Banako, other cities

Clashes between Malian armed forces and unidentified “terrorist groups” continued Saturday in the capital Bamako and several regions of the country, the army said, after coordinated attacks targeted military positions.

Sources at the Defense Ministry said Defense Minister Sadio Camara is safe after his residence in Kati was targeted.

In a statement, the Malian army said armed groups attacked multiple military sites in Bamako and other areas, sparking clashes, including near the international airport. Witnesses said they heard gunfire and explosions earlier in the day, though residents in Senou later reported no shots had been heard for about two hours.

A police source told Anadolu that the airport remained under control, with patrols deployed in nearby areas. However, fighting continued in parts of the capital’s outskirts, including Mamaribougou, where a resident reported ongoing gunfire and the presence of armed men in vehicles wearing uniforms different from those of the Malian army.

In Kidal, the Front de iberation de l’Azawad (FLA), an alliance of rebel groups, claimed on social media to have seized several positions in Kidal and Gao. Images circulating online appear to show the capture of the Kidal governor’s residence.

The US Embassy in Mali urged its citizens to shelter in place following reports of explosions and gunfire near Kati and Bamako’s airport.

Abdoulaye Diarra, a resident of Kati, said about 10 bodies of suspected attackers had been counted, and that tensions remained high.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, condemned the attacks in Mali and reaffirmed the commission’s “steadfast commitment to the promotion of peace, security, good governance, and stability in Mali.”

Mali has faced persistent insecurity since 2012, with armed groups regularly targeting military and civilian sites across the country.

The country is currently ruled by Gen. Assimi Goita, who is the president of the transition. He has effectively been in power since the second military coup in May 2021, when he removed the previous interim president and took control of the transitional government.