According to multiple reports, the attacks began early Saturday morning, targeting multiple locations simultaneously. Witnesses and security sources reported fighting in Kati, a major military base outside Bamako, as well as in Gao, Sévaré, and Kidal. The Malian military stated it is repelling the attackers and that the situation is under control. However, the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claims to have taken control of Kidal and that Russian mercenaries hired by Mali's military have agreed to withdraw from the town after clashes. The attacks were carried out by groups including the FLA and the jihadist group JNIM, according to reports.
Uncertainty surrounds the fate of Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara. His family and French media reported that he was killed in the attacks near Bamako, but the Malian government has not confirmed his death, and other sources do not report it. If true, this would be a major blow to the junta; the lack of confirmation creates uncertainty about the stability of the regime. The death toll also remains disputed. State broadcaster ORTM reported that 16 people, including civilians and soldiers, were injured. However, BBC's assessment indicates that at least 60 and possibly up to 100 people were killed, with over 200 wounded. The figures may or may not include militants killed as government forces regained control. The discrepancy between official and independent estimates suggests either underreporting by authorities or exaggeration by media; the true scale of casualties remains unclear.
The FLA claimed that its fighters have taken control of Kidal and that Russian mercenaries have agreed to withdraw after clashes. The Malian military, however, stated that it is repelling attackers and the situation is under control, implying that Kidal is not lost. Control of Kidal is strategically important; conflicting claims indicate ongoing fighting and uncertainty about territorial control. The attacks were carried out by groups including the FLA and the jihadist group JNIM, according to reports. JNIM is an al-Qaeda affiliate that has previously carried out attacks in Bamako, including the 2015 Radisson Blu hotel attack that killed 20 people, a 2016 restaurant shooting in Hippodrome that left five dead, and a 2017 attack on a tourism complex that killed four.
All flights into Bamako were cancelled early on Saturday, according to a resident traveling from Ethiopia. The international community reacted swiftly. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the violence and called for international support, according to a UN spokesperson. Sweden's UD had already advised all Swedes in Mali to leave the country in November 2025 due to deteriorating security.
Mali has been in crisis since late 2011, when Tuareg separatists and Islamist factions took over northern towns. The country is currently ruled by a military junta led by Assimi Goïta, who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021. Col Assimi Goïta staged the first coup criticizing the government's failure to tackle security, and a second coup in May 2021 to consolidate power. The junta hired the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner for military support, provoking a row with France that led to the withdrawal of the French anti-terror force Barkhane. The UN peacekeeping mission also left Mali after the junta took over. According to the BBC, the new regime has been no more effective than its civilian predecessor in ending violence.
Jihadists attacked the international airport complex outside Bamako and a gendarmerie training centre in Faladié on Tuesday morning, according to research sources. The attack was carried out by al-Qaeda affiliated jihadists. This latest wave of violence underscores the persistent insecurity in Mali despite the junta's promises to restore order. The coordinated nature of Saturday's attacks across multiple cities suggests a high level of organization among the armed groups. Unknowns remain about the coordination between groups, Russian mercenary casualties, and who currently controls Kidal and other contested areas. The confirmed death toll and the fate of Defence Minister Camara are also still unclear.