The Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), a predominantly Tuareg rebel coalition, claimed on Saturday to have taken “full control” of the city of Kidal in northern Mali.
In a statement, its executive bureau said the operation was carried out “in partnership with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM),” an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, as part of a broader strategy aimed at territorial expansion across the country.
Several observers believe that developments in Bamako will be decisive for the entire region. A potential fall of the Malian capital, they warn, could significantly increase the risk of instability spilling over into neighboring countries, particularly Niger and Burkina Faso, both members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which are already grappling with armed insurgencies and persistent security challenges.
Malian authorities reported coordinated attacks by armed groups targeting several cities. The assaults reportedly left 16 civilians and soldiers injured. The government stated that security forces managed to contain the attacks in Bamako, Kati, Sévaré, Gao, and Kidal, neutralizing several attackers and regaining control of the targeted areas—a claim that has not yet been independently verified.
According to Algerian sources, the Azawad Liberation Front and JNIM are equipped and supervised by soldiers under General Saïd Chengriha, as well as his mercenaries from the special unit KL-7, also known as Khalid ibn al-Walid.
Amid the escalating instability, Mali’s Minister of Defense, General Sadio Camara, is reported to have been killed alongside his wife. The transitional president, General Assimi Goïta, was allegedly evacuated on Saturday from Kati and is now said to be in a “safe location” at a Special Forces camp near Bamako.
Security sources also reported that the head of intelligence services, General Modibo Koné, was wounded by gunfire during the Kati attacks, as was the Chief of General Staff, General Oumar Diarra.
On Sunday, fighting reportedly resumed in Kidal, where rebel forces attempted to dislodge Russian troops entrenched in a military camp. However, Tuareg rebels later stated that they had reached an “agreement” allowing the withdrawal of Africa Corps elements, claiming full control of the city.
On the international stage, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the “violent extremism” behind the attacks on the Malian army and called for “coordinated international support” to address the growing terrorist threat in the Sahel and respond to urgent humanitarian needs.
The European Union also “strongly condemned the terrorist attacks” carried out in Mali on Saturday, expressing solidarity with the Malian people in a statement issued on Sunday.