Coordinated Attacks Hit Mali’s Capital Bamako and Other Cities
Explosions and sustained gunfire have been reported in Mali’s capital. The city is Bamako. Armed groups launched apparently coordinated attacks across the country.
Fighting in the Capital
The military said in a statement on Saturday that “fighting is ongoing”. It added that “our defense and security forces are currently engaged in repelling the attackers”.
Attacks Near a Major Base
Witnesses told Reuters about explosions and gunfire around Kati. Kati is home to a major military base outside the capital. Soldiers have been deployed to block off roads in the area.
There are also reports of attacks in Gao and Kidal in the north. Sevare in central Mali has also been hit. One analyst described this as the largest jihadist attack in years.
This Is Behind the Attacks
Mali has been plagued by jihadist insurgencies for years. Groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group are active. A separatist movement also operates in the north.
Reports suggest the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) focused on northern cities. The FLA seeks a breakaway ethnic Tuareg state. Meanwhile, the jihadist group JNIM staged simultaneous attacks on multiple locations across the country.
