Gunfire and explosions reverberated across Mali early Saturday as unidentified armed groups launched coordinated assaults on multiple locations in the capital, Bamako, and other cities, according to residents and authorities.
Attack on Capital and Key Sites
Mali's army stated that 'unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital.' It added that soldiers were 'currently engaged in eliminating the attackers.' An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle fire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, approximately 15 kilometres from the city centre. A helicopter was seen patrolling over nearby neighbourhoods. The airport sits adjacent to an air base used by Mali's air force. A resident living near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters overhead.
Coordinated Nature of Assaults
Residents in other cities reported similar attacks on Saturday morning, suggesting a possible coordinated effort by armed groups. In the northeastern city of Kidal, gunmen entered and took control of some neighbourhoods, leading to exchanges of fire with the army, a former mayor of Kidal told AP on condition of anonymity for fear of his safety. The Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist movement fighting for an independent state in northern Mali, claimed responsibility for taking control of several areas in Kidal and Gao, another northeastern city. AP could not independently verify this claim.
Gao and Kati Under Fire
A resident of Gao said gunfire and explosions began early Saturday and continued into late morning. 'The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. I'm scared out of my wits,' the resident told AP by phone, speaking anonymously for safety. The gunfire originated from the army camp and airport, which are adjacent. In Kati, a town near Bamako housing Mali's main military base, a resident reported being woken by gunfire and explosions early in the morning.
Background of Insurgency
Mali has been plagued by insurgencies involving affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north. The Azawad separatist movement has fought for years to create the state of Azawad, once driving security forces from the region before a 2015 peace deal that has since collapsed. That deal had allowed some ex-rebels to integrate into the Malian military. In 2024, an al-Qaida-linked group attacked Bamako's airport and a military training camp, killing scores of people.
Regional Security Deterioration
Mali, along with neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, has long battled armed groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State, a fight that has escalated over the past decade. After military coups, the juntas in these three countries have turned from Western allies to Russia for help combating Islamic militants. However, analysts say the security situation has worsened recently, with a record number of militant attacks. Government forces have also been accused of killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants.
