Rebels attack five Malian cities, army claims control

Rebel forces launched coordinated attacks on at least five locations across Mali on Saturday, including Anefis, Aguelhoc, and Gao in the north, Sevare in the center, and Kenioroba in the south, near the capital Bamako. The Malian army asserts that the situation is now "fully under control," according to international press agencies. The military reported that 26 rebels were killed and one government soldier lost their life during counterattacks.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Tuareg rebels, announced the "launch of an offensive" in northern Mali via a Facebook post on Friday morning. Throughout Saturday, he shared footage of clashes in Anefis, claiming rebel incursion into the town. The Tuareg rebels, part of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), are nomadic fighters advocating for a secular state in northern Mali. Reports indicate that a military base in Gao and a prison in Kenioroba, where political opposition members are allegedly held, were also targeted.

This wave of attacks follows similar rebel actions in April around Bamako and in the cities of Kidal, Gao, and Mopti. Those earlier assaults were carried out in conjunction with fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, and were described by experts as the "largest coordinated attack in years." It remains unclear if JNIM is involved in the current attacks, as the group has not claimed responsibility. The Malian junta, which seized power through coups in 2020 and 2021, appears increasingly vulnerable. While the Malian army, with Russian assistance, previously expelled JNIM jihadists, the group has been regaining ground in recent months, with Tuareg fighters, aided by JNIM, having already captured two northern towns.

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launch of an offensive