Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, has said the situation is “under control” in his first public remarks since a wave of coordinated attacks shook the country last weekend.
In a brief televised address on Tuesday evening, Goita said operations would continue until there was “the complete neutralisation of the groups involved”. He had not been seen publicly since the attacks, which targeted key military and strategic sites.
Armed groups struck multiple locations on Saturday (25 April), including the country’s main army base and an area near Bamako’s airport. Fighters linked to an al Qaeda affiliate and a separatist movement also forced Russian-backed troops out of the northern town of Kidal.
The scale of the assault has raised concerns about shifting control across Mali’s vast northern regions, with analysts pointing to an increased level of coordination between groups with different aims.
Among those killed was Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara. Goita later visited wounded civilians in hospital and offered condolences to Camara’s family, according to officials.
Earlier in the day, images released by the presidency showed Goita meeting Russia’s ambassador, Igor Gromyko. The two discussed the security situation, with Moscow reaffirming its support.
Spokesperson for the al Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Bina Diarra, said the attacks were carried out in response to recent military operations.
In a video message, he warned, “As of today, Bamako is closed off from all sides,” raising the prospect of a siege of the capital.
Russia said on Tuesday that jihadi and separatist forces in Mali were regrouping after Moscow's forces helped thwart what it described as a coup attempt on Saturday, preventing insurgents from seizing key facilities including the presidential palace.
"The enemy has not abandoned its aggressive intentions and is currently regrouping," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Russian forces were conducting active reconnaissance operations to destroy insurgent field camps and stood ready to repel further attacks, it added.
Moscow's response to the attacks is being closely watched across the continent and beyond at a time when its forces are tied down fighting in Ukraine and it is trying to deepen its role as a security guarantor to friendly resource-rich governments in Africa.
Mali turned to Russia for support after expelling French and United Nations troops following coups in 2020 and 2021.
The Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP) and JNIM have fought each other for years. Since their first skirmishes in 2019, the two groups have clashed hundreds of times, leaving more than 2,100 people dead, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that fighters from an Islamic State affiliate had entered the northeastern town of Menaka. Residents said militants had set up checkpoints in some areas, though there were no immediate reports of clashes and people continued to move around the town.
Mali has faced years of instability, with armed groups active across large parts of the country. The latest attacks highlight the continuing challenges for the government as it seeks to contain the violence.
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In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Estonia said on Tuesday (19 May) that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over its territory, in the latest reported airspace violation in the region amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Sweden has agreed to buy four naval frigates from France’s Naval Group in a deal worth more than $4 billion, as Stockholm moves to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained a 25-year-old man suspected of killing his two parents and injuring four other people, including his son, in a shooting in the southern city of El Ejido in Almeria province overnight.
European Union negotiators are expected to agree on Tuesday (19 May) on legislation removing import duties on U.S. industrial goods, in a move aimed at implementing last year’s trade agreement with the United States and avoiding higher tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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