Residents in Mali's capital and other cities reported widespread gunfire and explosions early Saturday, with one resident in Gao stating, "The force of the explosions is making the doors and windows of my house shake. I’m scared out of my wits," as gunmen attacked multiple locations. An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center, and observed a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali’s air force.
Gunmen entered the northeastern city of Kidal, taking control of some neighborhoods and leading to gunfire exchanges with the army, according to a former mayor of Kidal. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front, claimed on Facebook that its forces had taken control of several areas of Kidal and Gao, another northeastern city. A resident of Gao confirmed gunfire and explosions began in the early hours of Saturday and continued into the late morning, with sounds emanating from the army camp and the adjacent airport.
A resident of Kati, a town near Bamako that hosts Mali’s main military base and the residence of Gen. Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali’s military junta, also reported being woken by gunfire and explosions early in the morning.
The State's Grip Weakens
Mali’s army issued a statement acknowledging that "unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks in the capital," adding that soldiers were "currently engaged in eliminating the attackers." The U.S. Embassy in Bamako responded by issuing a security alert, advising "U.S. citizens should shelter in place and avoid travel to these destinations until further information becomes available," focusing on the safety of its own citizens amidst the unrest.
The current attacks unfold against a backdrop of persistent insurgencies that have plagued Mali for years, involving affiliates of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, alongside a separatist rebellion in the north. The Azawad separatist movement has long fought for the creation of the state of Azawad in northern Mali, having previously driven security forces from the region. A 2015 peace deal, which included the integration of some ex-rebels into the Malian military, has since collapsed, demonstrating the state's inability to secure lasting peace through reformist measures.
In the second year since a 2024 attack, an al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility for targeting Bamako’s airport and a military training camp in the capital, resulting in scores of deaths. This prior incident underscores the ongoing vulnerability of critical state infrastructure and military assets to organized challenges.
Imperialist Maneuvers and Human Cost
Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has been battling armed groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group for over a decade, a conflict that has escalated. Following military coups, the juntas in these three countries have shifted their allegiances from Western allies to Russia for assistance in combating these militants. This strategic pivot represents a change in imperial patrons, rather than a fundamental reorientation towards addressing the root causes of the conflict or improving the material conditions of the populace.
Despite the change in international alliances, analysts report that the security situation in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso has worsened, with a record number of attacks by militants. This persistent insecurity reveals the inadequacy of militaristic solutions, regardless of their foreign backing, in achieving genuine stability. Furthermore, government forces themselves have been accused of killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants, directly implicating the state in the violence that afflicts the dispossessed population.
The widespread attacks on state military installations and infrastructure, coupled with the state's reliance on external powers and its own use of force against civilians, highlight a system designed to protect accumulated power rather than ensure the safety and well-being of its working class and rural communities.