Mali: Jihadists launch new attacks across north and central

BAMAKO (Terror Monitor) — A Tuareg-led rebel coalition in Mali said on Saturday it launched coordinated attacks across several northern and central towns, including areas where government forces and Russian paramilitary units are deployed, as fighting flared in multiple regions before subsiding later in the day.

Residents reported gunfire and explosions in parts of northern and central Mali, including Gao, Anefis, Aguelhok, Sevare, and a prison facility in Kenieroba near the capital Bamako.

The latest wave of attacks comes after major rebel advances in April, when fighters briefly seized strategic positions in the north, including the city of Kidal, and intensified pressure on Mali’s military-led government.

A spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), Mohamed Elmoloud Ramadan, told Reuters that its fighters attacked the town of Anefis in the northeastern Kidal region early Saturday. Government forces and Russian paramilitary units had been deployed there following earlier offensives in April.

Local officials said fighting also erupted in Gao, where gunfire and rocket attacks targeted a military camp, though it was not immediately clear which armed group was responsible.

The Malian government has not yet issued an official statement on the coordinated attacks.

Multiple fronts of fighting

According to additional reports, the offensives on Saturday extended beyond Anefis and Gao to include Aguelhok in the Kidal region, the central town of Sevare, and the Kenieroba prison complex located around 70 kilometres southwest of Bamako.

Residents and security sources said heavy gunfire and explosions were heard early in the morning, with some clashes lasting several hours before easing by the afternoon.

The Malian army later confirmed the attacks on social media, saying they were “vigorously repelled” and that the situation was “completely under control.”

However, a regional official claimed that rebels had taken control of Anefis, where Russian forces were reportedly entrenched inside a camp, and that several Malian soldiers had been captured.

In Gao, local sources said fighting subsided by late afternoon. The army acknowledged one fatality there while claiming that around 20 “terrorists” were neutralized in Sevare, though independent verification was not immediately possible.

The Kenieroba prison attack also caused panic among inmates, with one prisoner telling AFP: “We are under our beds, the gunfire continues,” before communications were cut off. The facility is one of Mali’s largest detention centres, holding more than 2,500 inmates.

Rebel alliances and shifting conflict dynamics

The current escalation comes amid shifting alliances among armed groups in Mali. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda, including JNIM (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims), have at times coordinated or aligned against government forces.

Analysts say the recent wave of attacks reflects a broader strategy to weaken and isolate Mali’s military leadership, which has ruled since coups in 2020 and 2021.

Since then, the junta has aligned itself with Russia, relying on Africa Corps, the Moscow-controlled paramilitary group, following the withdrawal of Wagner forces.

Despite promises to restore stability, Mali continues to face a deepening security crisis involving separatist rebels, jihadist groups, and community-based armed factions.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly accused all sides—including the Malian army and its allies—of abuses against civilians in the aftermath of the April offensives.

Uncertain battlefield control

By late afternoon, reports suggested that fighting had largely subsided in several areas, though control over key locations remained disputed.

While the Malian army insisted it had repelled the attacks and restored order, regional sources indicated that rebels may still hold parts of Anefis, underscoring the fluid and uncertain nature of the conflict.

Observers warn that the latest coordinated assaults may signal preparation for further offensives aimed at consolidating control in northern Mali before expanding southward.