BAMAKO – Insurgents staged attacks on army positions across Mali on Saturday, including in a northern town where government and Russian fighters are based and in a town south of the capital Bamako, the latest threat to the landlocked Sahel nation’s embattled leaders.
The assault stretched from the northern cities and towns of Anefis, Aguelhoc and Gao to Sevare in central Mali and Kenioroba in the south, the Malian armed forces said in a statement.
A spokesperson for a Tuareg-led rebel group, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), said it was involved in the attacks.
In a statement published later on Saturday, the regional al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), also claimed responsibility, saying it had struck and seized control of at least seven positions manned by the army or other pro-government fighters. Reuters could not independently verify JNIM’s claim.
The FLA and JNIM teamed up for a co-ordinated, high-profile operation in April that hit the airport in Bamako and killed the defence minister.
Mali’s army said in a statement that soldiers had repelled Saturday’s attacks and that the situation was “totally under control”, adding that 20 “terrorists” had been killed in Sevare and six in Gao. It said one pro-government fighter was killed in Gao and four others were injured.
Rocket attacks and explosions reported
The FLA spokesperson, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, said the group’s fighters had entered Anefis, in the north-eastern Kidal region. Government and Russian troops were deployed there after the April attacks, having previously been driven from the strategic town of Kidal. Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
In Gao, an official said gunfire and rocket attacks targeting a military camp had continued since before dawn, though it was not immediately clear who was responsible.
“No one could go out this morning … the Malian Armed Forces have blocked all the streets. We’re in our homes,” a Gao resident said. “The noise was so intense it felt like the roof was going to collapse.”
In Sevare, a resident said early-morning gunfire was followed by four large explosions in the west of the city at around 8am local time (8am GMT). Even heavier detonations were heard in the town at around 10am, the resident said.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. Kenioroba is home to a prison holding members of Mali’s political opposition. A diplomatic source and a security source said the prison was attacked, though one said security forces repelled the assailants.
A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Insecurity persists despite promises from military leaders
The attacks highlight the failure of Mali’s military leaders, who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, to deliver the improved security they promised.
In September 2024, JNIM attacked a paramilitary police training school near the Bamako airport, killing about 70 people. More recently, it carried out a fuel blockade that has starved the capital’s residents and businesses of power and supplies.
Mali’s government has recently pursued closer ties with Washington, which has sought to rebuild cooperation on security and explore mining opportunities.
Russia, whose Africa Corps forces are backing the government, vowed to stand by Mali after the attacks in April.
Jihadist violence has also rocked neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, which like Mali have turned to Russia for security assistance.
- Insurgents, including Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and al-Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), launched coordinated attacks on army positions across Mali from north to south, including in Anefis, Aguelhoc, Gao, Sevare, and Kenioroba.
- JNIM claimed control of at least seven army or pro-government positions, with Mali’s military stating they repelled the attacks, killing 26 insurgents and suffering five casualties among pro-government forces.
- The attacks involved heavy gunfire, rocket strikes, and explosions disrupting towns, with residents reporting intense fighting and restricted movement, notably in Gao and Sevare.
- The assaults underscore ongoing insecurity despite Mali’s military leadership—rulers since coups in 2020 and 2021—failing to improve national stability, continuing a pattern of deadly jihadist violence including high-profile attacks earlier in 2024.
- Mali’s government is intensifying relations with the US while relying on Russian military support amid persistent regional instability affecting neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, which also seek Russian assistance.
