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In a significant escalation of violence, militant groups launched a series of coordinated assaults across Mali on Saturday, striking military installations and critical infrastructure, including the international airport in Bamako. The al-Qaida-affiliated group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for these attacks, which have raised serious concerns about security in the region.
A Day of Violence in the Capital and Beyond
The attacks unfolded in Bamako and four other cities, marking one of the most extensive offensives in Mali in recent years. JNIM announced the operations on their communication platform, Az-Zallaqa, asserting that they collaborated with the Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist group representing the Tuareg people. This union of jihadists and separatists is particularly alarming, echoing the chaos that ensued during their joint actions in 2012, which precipitated a broader security crisis in northern Mali.
Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene in Bamako. Residents reported heavy gunfire and explosions emanating from Modibo Keïta International Airport, located
