Coordinated Attacks Strike Across Mali as Army Responds

Sat Apr 25 2026 13:18:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Multiple armed groups have initiated coordinated assaults on key locations throughout Mali, including the capital, Bamako, prompting an immediate military response. Witnesses report fierce gunfire and explosions as security forces engage attackers.

In a significant escalation of violence, armed groups have unleashed coordinated attacks across various cities in Mali, including the capital Bamako. The military has confirmed ongoing clashes while residents report explosions and gunfire, particularly around strategic military installations. Ongoing instability in the region has raised questions about the identity of the attackers and the effectiveness of the current military government led by Gen Assimi Goïta.

Armed groups have launched coordinated attacks across Mali, including in the capital Bamako, the country's army reports.

In a statement released on Saturday morning, the military stated that fighting is ongoing and that our defence and security forces are currently engaged in repelling the attackers.

Witnesses reported explosions and sustained gunfire early on Saturday morning near the Kati military base, a major installation outside the capital. Soldiers have been deployed to block off roads in the area.

Further attacks have also been reported in Gao in the northeast and Sevare in central Mali.

One resident, travelling back to Bamako from Ethiopia, stated that all flights into the city were cancelled early on Saturday, leaving uncertainty about the airport's operational status amidst the attacks.

As of now, it remains unclear who is orchestrating these assaults.

Mali is currently governed by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, who initially took power in a coup in 2020 with promises to restore security and combat armed groups.

The junta had popular support at the time for its commitment to address the long-standing security issues following a separatist rebellion in the north, which was further complicated by Islamist militant involvement.

The UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been deployed in 2013 to counter the evolving insurgency, but both have since withdrawn since the junta's rise to power, with the government now opting to employ Russian mercenaries to combat the ongoing insecurity.

However, the jihadist insurgency continues to prevail, with significant portions of the northern and eastern regions remaining outside government control.

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