Gunmen stage simultaneous attacks in and outside Mali capital, says army

BAMAKO: Militants staged attacks in Mali's capital Bamako and in several locations in the interior of the country on Saturday morning, the Mali army said, in an apparently coordinated assault involving multiple groups.

Two loud explosions and sustained gunfire were heard shortly before 6am local time near Mali's main military base Kati outside the capital Bamako, and soldiers were deployed to block off roads in the area, a Reuters witness said.

There was similar unrest at around the same time in the central town of Sevare and the town of Kidal and city of Gao in northern Mali. "There's gunfire everywhere," a witness in Sevare said.

Mali is battling insurgencies by the West Africa affiliates of al Qaeda and Daesh. It is also grappling with a much longer history of Tuareg-led rebellion in the north.

Mali's army said in a statement that unidentified "terrorist" groups attacked several positions in the capital and elsewhere in the country, without specifying locations. It said fighting was ongoing and asked the population to remain calm.

Mali's military leaders took power after coups in 2020 and 2021, vowing to restore security, but militants continue to stage frequent attacks on the army and civilians.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel alliance, said on social media its forces had taken control of multiple positions in Kidal and Gao. Reuters could not independently verify this claim.

Four security sources said the regional al Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) was also involved in Saturday's attacks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from JNIM, which frequently stages attacks on military installations throughout much of Mali, or from Daesh in the Sahel Province (ISSP).

A government spokesperson and a spokesperson for Mali's army did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Gunfire heard near airport, say residents

Gunfire could also be heard early on Saturday near a military camp close to Bamako's airport that houses Russian mercenary forces, a resident said.

"We hear gunfire towards the military camp. It's not the airport itself, but the camp that secures the airport," said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

The government led by Assimi Goita has leaned on Russian mercenaries for security support while initially spurning defence cooperation with Western countries.

Recently it has pursued closer ties with the US.

Reuters reported in March that Mali and the US were nearing a deal that would allow Washington to resume flying aircraft and drones over the West African country's airspace to gather intelligence on insurgent groups.