Mali has been struck by coordinated attacks on Saturday,
with reports of gunfire and explosions.
Loud explosions were reportedly heard shortly before 6am
near the Kati military base on the outskirts of Bamako, the country’s capital,
followed by susta ined gunfire.
The base is located in the suburb where junta leader Assimi
Goita resides.
Soldiers were also seen blocking roads around the area as
the situation unfolded.
Gunfire was also reported near a military camp close to
Bamako’s airport, where Russian mercenary forces are believed to be based.
The violence was not limited to the capital as similar
attacks were reported around the same time in the central town of Sevare and
the northern cities of Gao and Kidal.
Heavy fighting was also reported in Kati and other strategic
locations, with residents describing intense exchanges of gunfire.
Mali’s armed forces confirmed in as statement that
“unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in
the capital and the interior early this morning”.
“Fighting is ongoing. We call on the public to remain calm
and vigilant. Our defence and security forces are currently engaged in
eliminating the attackers. We will provide further updates as more information
becomes available. United, we will prevail,” the statement reads.
The army later said the attackers were “immediately met with
strong resistance” and that “several terrorists were neutralised,” adding that
clearing operations were continuing and the situation was under control.
Military sources said they suspect the involvement of
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group
considered the most active armed faction in the Sahel.
There were also reports that an ISIL (ISIS) affiliate
launched an attack in the Sevare region.
Meanwhile, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a
Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance, claimed its fighters had made significant
gains in the north.
In posts on Facebook, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, its
spokesperson, said the group “controls the entire city” of Kidal and had
entered Gao after neutralising positions on its outskirts.
“In Gao, our forces are now present inside the city, after
having neutralised several positions located on the outskirts,” he wrote.
Ramadane also called on the authorities of neighbouring
Burkina Faso and Niger to stay out of the situation.
The latest attacks come amid Mali’s prolonged instability
under military rule.
Goita seized power in a coup in August 2020 and tightened
his grip after a second coup in May 2021. A promised return to civilian rule by
March 2024 has yet to take place.
The country has faced more than a decade of violence
involving jihadist groups, separatist movements and intercommunal conflict,
particularly in its northern and central regions.
In recent months, JNIM fighters have stepped up efforts to
weaken the state, including attacks on fuel tanker convoys supplying Bamako.
By
TheTimes Nigeria
