Mali has been struck by coordinated attacks on Saturday, with reports of gunfire and explosions.
Loud explosions were reportedly heard shortly before 6am near the Kati military base on the outskirts of Bamako, the country’s capital, followed by sustained gunfire.
The base is located in the suburb where junta leader Assimi Goita resides.
Soldiers were also seen blocking roads around the area as the situation unfolded.
Gunfire was also reported near a military camp close to Bamako’s airport, where Russian mercenary forces are believed to be based.
The violence was not limited to the capital as similar attacks were reported around the same time in the central town of Sevare and the northern cities of Gao and Kidal.
Heavy fighting was also reported in Kati and other strategic locations, with residents describing intense exchanges of gunfire.
Mali’s armed forces confirmed in as statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital and the interior early this morning”.
“Fighting is ongoing. We call on the public to remain calm and vigilant. Our defence and security forces are currently engaged in eliminating the attackers. We will provide further updates as more information becomes available. United, we will prevail,” the statement reads.
The army later said the attackers were “immediately met with strong resistance” and that “several terrorists were neutralised,” adding that clearing operations were continuing and the situation was under control.
Military sources said they suspect the involvement of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group considered the most active armed faction in the Sahel.
There were also reports that an ISIL (ISIS) affiliate launched an attack in the Sevare region.
Meanwhile, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance, claimed its fighters had made significant gains in the north.
In posts on Facebook, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, its spokesperson, said the group “controls the entire city” of Kidal and had entered Gao after neutralising positions on its outskirts.
“In Gao, our forces are now present inside the city, after having neutralised several positions located on the outskirts,” he wrote.
Ramadane also called on the authorities of neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger to stay out of the situation.
The latest attacks come amid Mali’s prolonged instability under military rule.
Goita seized power in a coup in August 2020 and tightened his grip after a second coup in May 2021. A promised return to civilian rule by March 2024 has yet to take place.
The country has faced more than a decade of violence involving jihadist groups, separatist movements and intercommunal conflict, particularly in its northern and central regions.
