Armed Groups Launch Coordinated Attacks in Mali’s Capital and Northern Cities

Gunmen launched coordinated attacks early Saturday on multiple locations in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and other cities, including Kidal and Gao in the northeast, according to residents and authorities. Mali’s army reported that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks” in Bamako and that soldiers were actively engaged in eliminating the attackers. The military later stated that the situation was under control.

An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle fire near Modibo Keïta International Airport, approximately 9 miles from the city center, and observed a helicopter patrolling nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali’s air force. A resident near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters overhead.

Residents in other cities reported gunfire and explosions early Saturday, suggesting a coordinated assault. In Kati, a town near Bamako housing Mali’s main military base and the residence of Gen. Assimi Goita, leader of Mali’s military junta, a resident was awakened by gunfire and blasts. Videos circulating on social media showed militant convoys moving through Kati’s streets, while in Kidal and Gao, exchanges of gunfire and dead bodies were reported.

Gunmen entered Kidal, taking control of some neighborhoods and engaging in firefights with the army, a former mayor of Kidal told the AP on condition of anonymity. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Tuareg-led Azawad separatist movement, claimed on Facebook that its forces had taken control of Kidal and parts of Gao. The AP could not independently verify this claim. The separatists have long sought to establish the state of Azawad in northern Mali and had previously driven security forces from the region before a 2015 peace deal collapsed.

A resident of Gao described the intensity of the explosions, saying, “The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. I’m scared out of my wits.” The gunfire reportedly came from the army camp and the airport, which are adjacent.

The U.S. Embassy in Bamako issued a security alert advising U.S. citizens to shelter in place and avoid travel near Kati and Modibo Keita International Airport due to reports of explosions and gunfire.

Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, described the assault as the largest coordinated attack in years in Mali. He noted the concerning collaboration between the al Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg rebels, recalling their alliance in 2012 when they overran northern Mali.

Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has faced escalating insurgencies by groups affiliated with al Qaeda and the Islamic State over the past decade. Following military coups, the juntas in these countries have shifted from Western allies to seeking assistance from Russia in combating Islamic militants. Despite these efforts, the security situation has deteriorated, with record numbers of militant attacks and accusations against government forces for killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants.

Earlier in 2024, an al Qaeda-linked group claimed an attack on Bamako’s airport and a military training camp, resulting in numerous casualties.