Mali Under Siege: Separatists, Jihadists Launch Massive Coordinated Assault
Armed groups launched a wave of coordinated attacks across Mali on Saturday, sparking heavy gunfire and explosions in the capital, Bamako. Mali’s military currently struggles to repel these insurgents who targeted Kati, Gao, Sevare, and Mopti in a sophisticated offensive.
The separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimin (JNIM) orchestrated these simultaneous strikes. Analysts describe this surge as the largest jihadist attack the country has witnessed in several years. Consequently, the FLA spokesman, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, told the BBC that they planned this operation in alliance with JNIM.
“We had been working on this operation for a long time, in a well-planned manner,” Ramadane stated during his interview. He further emphasized the necessity of this partnership, noting that “it is difficult to find any solution without their participation.”
Fierce Battles in the North
Heavy fighting continues in Kidal as rebels attempt to drive out the Malian army and their Russian mercenary allies. While the military claims it routed “several hundred” terrorists, the BBC cannot independently verify these high casualty figures at this time. Ramadane insisted that “all of Gao’s gates have fallen,” though military camps within the city currently remain under government control.
An FLA commander revealed that the group spent months preparing to block essential reinforcements from reaching the northern front lines. “Our main goal now is to control Gao and then Timbuktu will be easy to fall,” the commander explained boldly.
International Response and Curfews
In response to the chaos, Bamako authorities established checkpoints and imposed a strict three-night curfew to secure the city. Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office advised against all travel to Mali and noted the temporary closure of the international airport. UN Chief Antonio Guterres condemned the violence, calling for “coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism.”
Mali’s military junta, led by Gen Assimi Goita, originally seized power in 2020 with promises to restore national security. Despite hiring Russian mercenaries to replace departing French forces, the government still lacks control over vast regions in the north. This latest escalation proves that the security crisis remains the primary challenge for the ruling junta in the Sahel region.
