BAMAKO, Mali: Militants launched coordinated attacks across Bamako and several areas of the country early Saturday, with explosions and heavy gunfire reported near key military positions, according to the army and witnesses.
Two loud blasts followed by sustained gunfire were heard shortly before 6 a.m. near the Kati military base outside the capital, prompting troops to seal off surrounding roads.
Similar unrest was reported around the same time in the central town of Sevare and in northern cities including Kidal and Gao. “There’s gunfire everywhere,” a witness in Sevare said.
Mali has long battled insurgencies linked to regional affiliates of terrorist groups, alongside a protracted Tuareg-led rebellion in the north.
In a statement, the army said unidentified “terrorist” groups had attacked multiple positions in the capital and elsewhere, without giving details, and confirmed that fighting was ongoing. Authorities urged residents to remain calm.
A spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance, said on social media that its forces had taken control of several positions in Kidal and Gao, although this could not be independently verified.
Security sources said the regional terrorist groups were also involved in the attacks. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The violence comes despite assurances by Mali’s military leadership, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, that it would restore stability. Armed groups continue to carry out frequent attacks on both military targets and civilians.
Gunfire was also reported near a military camp close to Bamako’s airport that houses Russian private military contractors, according to a resident.
“We hear gunfire toward the military camp. It’s not the airport itself, but the camp that secures the airport,” the resident said, speaking anonymously for safety reasons.
The government of Assimi Goïta has increasingly relied on Russian private military contractors’ support for security while recalibrating ties with Western partners.
In recent months, Mali has also pursued closer cooperation with the United States, including discussions on resuming surveillance flights over its airspace to monitor militant activity.
