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Mali Rocked by Coordinated Terror Attacks
25 Apr
Summary
- Coordinated militant assaults hit Bamako and multiple interior locations.
- Gunfire and explosions reported near Kati military base and in Sevare.
- Al-Qaeda and Tuareg rebels implicated in the widespread attacks.
Mali faced a series of coordinated assaults early Saturday morning, with militant groups launching attacks in the capital city of Bamako and multiple locations across the country's interior. Residents near the main military base of Kati, outside Bamako, reported hearing significant explosions and sustained gunfire shortly before dawn, prompting a heavy military response.
Similar unrest and gunfire erupted simultaneously in the central town of Sevare and in the northern cities of Kidal and Gao. Unidentified "terrorist" groups were stated by the Mali army to have attacked various positions, though specific details remain scarce. The army confirmed ongoing fighting and urged the public to remain calm.
Security sources indicated that the al-Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) was among the groups involved. Claims emerged on social media from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance, stating their forces had secured multiple positions in Kidal and Gao, though these assertions could not be independently verified.
Gunfire was also heard near a military camp close to Bamako's airport, which reportedly houses Russian mercenary forces. This development occurs as Mali's military government, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, continues to battle insurgencies from al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates, alongside a long-standing Tuareg rebellion.
