Armed Groups Launch Coordinated Attacks on Military Sites Across Mali

Gunmen launched attacks on multiple military sites across Mali early Saturday, including in the capital Bamako and northeastern cities like Kidal and Gao. The Malian army stated that unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted barracks and other locations in the capital and interior regions.

Soldiers were actively engaged in eliminating the attackers, according to an army statement. Residents in Bamako reported sustained heavy weapons fire and automatic rifle gunfire near Modibo Keïta International Airport, about 15 kilometers from the city center.

A helicopter was seen over nearby neighborhoods, and a resident near the airport described hearing gunfire with three helicopters patrolling overhead. The airport is adjacent to a Mali air force base.

the northeastern city of Kidal, gunmen entered and took control of some neighborhoods, leading to exchanges of gunfire with the army, a former mayor said on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front, stated on Facebook that its forces had taken control of several areas in Kidal and Gao.

This claim could not be independently verified. A resident in Gao reported gunfire and explosions starting early Saturday, continuing into the late morning, with blasts shaking doors and windows. The resident, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, said the sounds came from an army camp and adjacent airport.

The Azawad separatist movement seeks to establish the state of Azawad in northern Mali and previously drove security forces from the region before a 2015 peace deal that later collapsed. Some ex-rebels were integrated into the Malian military under that agreement.

In 2024, an al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility for an attack on Bamako's airport and a military training camp in the capital, resulting in scores of deaths. The current attacks suggest possible coordination among armed groups, with residents in multiple cities reporting simultaneous gunfire and blasts.

Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has battled armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State for over a decade. Following military coups, the juntas in these countries shifted alliances from Western partners to Russia for assistance against militants.

However, the security situation has deteriorated, with a record number of militant attacks reported in recent times. Government forces have faced accusations of killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants. Witnesses in Bamako and other areas described the latest incidents as involving jihadist militants capturing checkpoints and positions held by the Malian army and Russia's Africa Corps north of the capital.

“The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. Rebel groups, including the Azawad Liberation Front and al-Qaida-linked militants, have reportedly teamed up to retake Kidal, expelling Malian army and Russian forces. Flags of the Malian army and Russian mercenaries were torn down in the process, according to reports. The assaults extended to checkpoints and positions north of Bamako, where jihadist militants captured areas from the Malian army and Russia's Africa Corps. Analysts note that the security decline has worsened despite the shift to Russian support. The attacks mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflicts plaguing the region.”