Bamako (Mali) — Gunmen struck multiple locations in Mali’s capital and other cities early Saturday in what residents and authorities described as a possible coordinated assault.
Mali’s army said in a statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital,” and that soldiers were “currently engaged in eliminating the attackers.” Mali has long faced insurgencies by groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, alongside a separatist rebellion in the north.
An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy-weapons and automatic-rifle fire coming from Modibo Keita International Airport, about 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the city centre, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighbourhoods. The airport sits next to an air base used by Mali’s air force. A resident near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.
Residents in other cities reported gunfire and explosions on Saturday morning, suggesting a coordinated attack by armed groups. In the northeastern city of Kidal, gunmen entered and took control of some neighbourhoods, prompting exchanges with the army, a former mayor of Kidal told AP on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front, said on Facebook that its forces had seized parts of Kidal and Gao, another northeastern city; the AP could not independently verify that claim. A Gao resident said gunfire and blasts began in the early hours and continued into the late morning, shaking doors and windows and leaving residents frightened. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns and said the fire came from an army camp and the nearby airport.
A resident of Kati, the town near Bamako that hosts Mali’s main military base, also reported being awakened by gunfire and explosions.
In 2024, an al-Qaida-linked group claimed an assault on Bamako’s airport and a military training camp that killed scores. Mali, along with neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, has battled militants tied to al-Qaida and Islamic State for more than a decade. Following military coups, the juntas in those countries have shifted away from Western partners and toward Russia for security assistance.
Analysts say the regional security situation has deteriorated, with record militant attacks in recent years and accusations that government forces have killed civilians suspected of collaborating with militants.
