Automatic gunfire were heard on Tuesday morning near the gendarmerie in Faladiè, a suburb of Bamako in an apparent infiltration by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) which was thwarted by troops of the Malian army (FAMa).
According to witnesses, the explosions reported in Bamako which could be heard as early as 5am, continued until 7.50am, causing great confusion among the population.
In an official statement, the Armed Forces General Staff (EMGA) said that a group of terrorists had tried to infiltrate the Faladiè gendarmerie school.
According to the EMGA, the Malian armed forces (FAMa) quickly took control of the situation thanks to a swift and coordinated response. Sweeping operations are currently underway in the area to neutralise any remaining threat.
At the same time, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Madina Sissoko Dembelé, has informed the public that access to the President Modibo KEITA Sénou International Airport, located not far from the area of the attack, is temporarily restricted due to preventive measures put in place following the incident.
The minister urged users to remain calm and said that the restrictions would be lifted shortly and that an official statement would be issued to that effect. He also thanked the public for their understanding in the face of these exceptional measures.
The EMGA reassured the public that the situation was under control and urged residents to remain calm. The press release also stresses that safety instructions have been issued and that residents must strictly adhere to them.
The EMGA strongly advises people to avoid the area and assures that official information will be communicated regularly to keep the population informed of developments in the situation.
The EMGA praised the reaction of the FAMa and thanked the security forces for their commitment in the face of this attempted attack.
The GSIM claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Faladié gendarmerie and Sénou airport.
The Sahel branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claims to have caused significant loss of life and property, as well as the destruction of several aircraft.
This is not the first time the capital has been the target of a terrorist attack.
In 2015, the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako was stormed, killing 20 people, including foreigners. This high-profile attack highlighted the international reach of the terrorist threat in Mali.
AQIM claimed responsibility for the attack, which it attributed to Al Mourabitoune. Two years later, in 2017, a tourist camp in Kangaba, near Bamako, was targeted, killing around 20 people, mostly tourists and Malians.
Military installations have not been spared. In 2014, the Kati military base near Bamako suffered a deadly attack, followed by another in March 2022, when armed groups again attacked this strategic base, causing casualties among Malian soldiers.
MD/ac/sf/lb/as/APA