The situation across Mali following a seemingly coordinated series of attacks on army posts on Saturday is largely under control, according to military sources.
The American embassy in Bamako issued a security alert on Saturday morning, indicating that it had received reports of explosions and gunfire near Kati and the Modibo Keïta International Airport.
The diplomatic mission advised American citizens to remain in the area and avoid all travel to these zones until further notice. Incidents were also reported in Gao and Sévaré, where detonations and unusual troop movements were reported in the morning.
In Kidal, the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), the new name for the former CMA, claimed to have taken control of certain areas of the city, although no independent official confirmation was immediately available.
These new attacks are reminiscent of the spectacular offensive launched on September 17, 2024, by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, against the gendarmerie school in Faladié and the military base at Bamako-Sénou airport.
This simultaneous double attack targeted the Faladié garrison as well as the military zone adjacent to the international airport, triggering intense fighting and the temporary closure of the airport.
JNIM claimed responsibility for the operation, while the authorities asserted that they had regained control of the situation.
WN/as/APA