Rebel groups linked to JNIM and Tuareg separatists have escalated their offensive against Mali's military junta, setting up checkpoints near the capital Bamako and seizing a key town in the north. The movements signal a significant expansion of the conflict that has plagued the Sahel nation for years.
Witnesses reported armed fighters manning roadblocks on major routes leading into Bamako, raising fears of a potential siege. Meanwhile, in the northern region, a strategic town fell to the coalition of separatist forces, dealing a blow to the government's efforts to reclaim territory.
The attacks come amid heightened tensions following the junta's crackdown on dissidents and its alignment with Russian mercenaries. Analysts warn that the rebel advances could destabilize the capital region, which had largely remained insulated from the worst of the violence.