Mali army bases hit in large-scale attacks claimed by al Qaeda-linked militants

Bamako. An al-Qaeda affiliate and Tuareg rebels have claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks across Mali, in one of the most audacious operations mounted in years against the military-led government.

Mali’s army said it had killed “several hundred” assailants and repelled attacks targeting multiple locations in and around the capital, Bamako. It added that a large-scale sweep operation was under way in Bamako, the nearby garrison town of Kati and other parts of the gold-producing nation.

It remains unclear how many soldiers or civilians were killed. Government spokesperson Issa Ousmane Coulibaly said 16 people were injured and that the situation was under control in all affected areas. Authorities have imposed a three-day overnight curfew in Bamako.

The al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) said it carried out attacks in Kati, at Bamako airport and in northern towns including Mopti, Sevare and Gao. The group also claimed that the city of Kidal had been “captured” in coordination with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).

An FLA spokesperson, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, said on social media that rebel forces had taken control of positions in Gao and one of two military camps in Kidal. Reuters could not independently verify the claims by either group.

Witnesses described intense fighting, with explosions and sustained gunfire reported near the military’s main base in Kati early on Saturday morning. Shooting continued for several hours, according to residents and a Reuters witness. Two witnesses said the home of Defence Minister Sadio Camara in Kati was destroyed.

In the central town of Sevare, a resident said gunfire erupted before dawn and came from multiple directions. South of Bamako, travellers attempting to reach the airport found themselves close to active combat zones, with heavy gunfire and military helicopters overhead.

The airport was shut, with flights cancelled or diverted. The United States embassy urged its citizens to shelter in place, while Britain advised against travel to Mali.

Security analysts say the selection of targets was significant. Kati and Bamako are at the core of the ruling establishment, while Kidal has been central to the government’s narrative of regaining territorial control.

Although the army said the situation was under control by late morning, reports of explosions and exchanges of fire continued in Gao, a key military hub in the north. By evening, an uneasy calm had settled, with local authorities imposing curfews.

The attacks signal a potential escalation in an insurgency that began in 2012. In recent years, militant groups have intensified operations despite the government’s pledge to restore stability under leader Assimi Goita, who took power following coups in 2020 and 2021.

Mali has also faced a long-running Tuareg rebellion in the north. The government has relied on Russian mercenaries for security support while reducing cooperation with Western partners, though it has recently sought closer ties with Washington.

JNIM said it had not targeted Russian forces and expressed interest in future engagement. Russia’s embassy in Bamako condemned the attacks, while Moscow suggested foreign involvement in training armed groups—claims that remain unverified.