Armed Militants Attack Several Cities in Mali

The Malian army said militants carried out attacks on Saturday in five locations across the country, including a northern city where government and Russian troops are stationed, as well as an area south of the capital, Bamako. Security forces continue to monitor the situation, the army added.

The targets were the towns of Anefis and Aguelhoc in the north, Gao and Sevare in the center of the country, and Kenioroba in the south. A spokesperson for the rebel Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) confirmed the group's involvement in the attacks. The jihadist organization Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which collaborated with the FLA on a coordinated operation in April, has not yet claimed responsibility.

According to the FLA, its fighters entered the town of Anefis, where government and Russian troops had been deployed following the April attacks. Reuters was unable to independently verify this claim. In Gao, gunfire and rocket attacks on a military camp were reported early Saturday morning, while in Sevaré, four powerful explosions were heard following a firefight.

The latest attacks highlight ongoing security challenges in Mali despite promises from the military government, which came to power following coups in 2020 and 2021. The country relies on Russian support in its fight against jihadists.

(Reuters, bak)