Explosions and sustained gunfire erupted across Mali on Saturday as armed groups launched a series of coordinated attacks, striking the capital Bamako and key northern and central cities. The military confirmed in a statement that "fighting is ongoing" and that security forces are "engaged in repelling the attackers."
Witnesses reported heavy gunfire and blasts around the Kati military base, a major installation on the outskirts of Bamako. Soldiers have sealed off roads in the area. Additional attacks were reported in Gao, Kidal, and Sevare, leading analysts to describe the offensive as the largest jihadist assault in years.
A resident returning to Bamako from Ethiopia told the BBC that all flights into the city were canceled early Saturday. The UK Foreign Office advised against all travel to Mali, stating that Bamako International Airport is temporarily closed. The US Embassy urged citizens to shelter in place, citing explosions and gunfire near the airport and Kati.
While some parts of Bamako remained calm, gunfire persisted in certain areas. Checkpoints were set up on roads leading to the airport, and vehicles were being searched. Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, called it the "largest coordinated jihadist attack on Mali for years."
Mali's military said it is fighting unidentified "terrorist groups" and claimed the situation is under control, but unconfirmed reports suggest continued clashes. Social media videos hinted at the involvement of the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) rebels. FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane posted on social media that his forces had seized several positions in Gao and Kidal and urged neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger not to intervene. The BBC has not verified these claims.
Mali has been under military junta rule since a 2020 coup led by General Assimi Goïta, who promised to restore security and combat armed groups. The junta initially enjoyed popular support, vowing to resolve a long-running security crisis sparked by a Tuareg separatist rebellion that was later hijacked by Islamist militants. A UN peacekeeping mission and French forces deployed in 2013 to counter the insurgency have since withdrawn, and the junta has hired Russian mercenaries to handle security. However, the jihadist insurgency persists, with large swaths of the north and east remaining beyond government control.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso recently left the West African bloc ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States, aiming to share resources, build infrastructure, and deepen integration. All three are currently ruled by military governments following a series of coups.