The attacks on April 25 struck several cities simultaneously, with gunmen entering Kidal and taking control of some neighborhoods, exchanging fire with the army, according to a former mayor of Kidal. Shooting was also heard near where junta leader Assimi Goita lives, witnesses and a security source said. The Malian army stated that soldiers are engaged in eliminating the attackers, and army chief-of-staff Oumar Diarra said in a press conference: "The terrorists have been neutralised. The sweep is continuing." A three-day overnight curfew was announced in Bamako from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to the Governor of Bamako's district Abdoulaye Coulibaly.
Conflicting claims of responsibility emerged for the April 25 attacks. The al-Qaida-linked group JNIM claimed responsibility, while the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed responsibility jointly with JNIM, according to FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane. However, multiple media reports indicate that no group has claimed responsibility, leaving uncertainty about who carried out the operation. The Malian government spokesperson Gen. Issa Ousmane Coulibaly said at least 16 people were wounded, including civilians and military personnel, but no specific number of wounded is reported by other sources. Videos on social media showed militant convoys in Kati, according to multiple media reports. The residence of Mali's defense minister was heavily damaged by an explosion, a shopkeeper said. FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said separatist forces took control of Kidal and areas in Gao. A resident of Gao reported gunfire and explosions shaking his house, and a resident of Kati reported being woken by gunfire and explosions.
Mali has been plagued by insurgencies by al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates, and a separatist rebellion, according to multiple media reports. The Azawad separatist movement has been fighting for an independent state in northern Mali, as reported by multiple media sources. Kidal was taken by Malian forces and Russian mercenaries in 2023, according to multiple media reports. The FLA called on Russia to reconsider support for the junta. JNIM is considered one of the most active militant groups in the Sahel region, according to research sources.
On 17 September 2024, gunmen from JNIM attacked several locations in Bamako, including military bases and the airport, according to research sources. JNIM claimed to have fully taken the military airport and released videos destroying six aircraft, including two Casa C-295 of the Malian Air Force. An aircraft used by the World Food Programme was damaged on the ground, according to research sources. AFP news agency reported 'heavy exchanges of fire' near a police station controlling access to the civilian airport terminal.
The terrorists have been neutralised. The sweep is continuing.
The death toll from the September 17 attack is disputed. According to research sources, about 100 Malian soldiers and policemen were killed and more than 255 injured. However, according to civilian and military sources interviewed by RFI, over seventy people were killed, including 20 at the air base. JNIM stated that the attack left several hundred people dead or wounded and caused heavy losses to Wagner's mercenaries. The Malian junta authorities did not release a death toll, only acknowledging 'some loss of human life.' The New York Times reported that members of Mali's security forces said 'several' officers had been killed or injured. The Malian government did not mention any losses but said the situation was under control.
At least twenty people were arrested by Malian forces in connection to the September 17 attack, according to research sources. JNIM stated around ten fighters took part in the attack and all were killed. Mali's state television broadcast footage of roughly 20 blindfolded prisoners, according to research sources. It is unclear whether these prisoners are the same as those arrested.
International actors and local residents reacted to the attacks. The US embassy in Bamako issued a security alert citing reports of explosions and gunfire near Kati and the airport. The UK Foreign Office advised against all travel to Mali and urged British citizens to stay indoors. A resident of Gao said gunfire and explosions started in the early hours and could still be heard in the late morning. The FLA spokesperson said separatist forces took control of Kidal and areas in Gao.
Several uncertainties remain surrounding both attacks. The exact number of casualties in the April 25 attacks is unknown, as is which group(s) actually carried them out and the relationship between JNIM and FLA in this operation. The precise death toll from the September 17 attack has not been released by the Malian government, and it is unclear whether the 20 blindfolded prisoners shown on state television are the same as the 20 arrested. The current security situation in Kidal and Gao after the April 25 attacks, and whether separatist forces are still in control, also remains unclear.