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Rival armed groups join forces against the Malian state: What next ...
A series of coordinated attacks carried out by armed groups across Mali has exposed security vulnerabilities in the military-ruled country, analysts say.Since gaining independence from French rule in 1960, the West African nation has navigated cycles of political instability, punctuated by persistent attacks from armed groups, military coups and financial crises.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Mali defence minister killed after coordinated attackslist 2 of 3‘Very dire’: What to know about ongoing coordinated armed attacks in Malilist 3 of 3What’s driving attacks against gov’t and Russian forces in Mali?end of listAs French and international security operations leave the region, the rising influence of Russian mercenary groups over the past two years has signalled further security risks and rising violence.On Saturday, an al-Qaeda-linked group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for attacks on military sites across the country, including in the capital, Bamako. JNIM said it had “captured” the city of Kidal in the north in a coordinated operation with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel group.On Sunday, a military source told Al Jazeera that Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara had been killed during the attacks.Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mathias Hounkpe, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ country director for Mali said “If they [armed groups] were able to cover almost the whole country in one day, it means there are security vulnerabilities in the system.”“They have also been able to reach the city of Kati, where the president and other important ministers live. That is the centre of power and them having reached this point through attacks means the government’s ability to secure the country is weak,” he added.Who are the main armed groups in Mali?Since 2012, the security situation in Mali has been murky, with several separatist groups fighting against the government, instigating coups and killing dozens of people in north and central Mali.JNIM is one of the most active armed groups in the region, according to conflict monitor Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED).The group was formed in 2017 as a coalition between the Saharan branch of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Malian armed groups – Ansar Dine, Al-Murabitun and Katiba Macina.With its base in Mali, the group has about 10,000 fighters and is led by Iyad Ag Ghali, who founded Ansar Dine in 2012. The g...
Armed groups claim attacks across Mali | Watch - MSN
16 hours ago ... An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group said Saturday that its fighters had joined forces with Tuareg rebels to launch attacks against the army across junta-ruled ...
Militants and separatists launch coordinated attacks across Mali
The Malian army said in a statement that "unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks" in Bamako and that soldiers were "engaged in eliminating the attackers".
Coordinated attacks hit Mali as fighting erupts in Kidal and blast ...
Our correspondents and field sources in Mali report that a series of coordinated attacks have targeted northern and central parts of the country, alongside armed movements inside the city of Kidal, in a significant escalation reflecting the widening scope of militant operations.
