Bamako, Mali — Gunmen attacked several locations in Mali’s capital and other cities early Saturday in a possible coordinated attack, residents and officials said.
“Unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted some positions and barracks in the capital,” Mali’s army said in a statement. It said troops were “currently engaged in eliminating the attackers.”
Mali is plagued by insurgencies fought by al-Qaeda and affiliates of the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist insurgency in the north.
An Associated Press journalist in Bamako heard sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle fire from Modibbo Keita International Airport, about 15 kilometers (9 mi) from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby areas. The airport is adjacent to an airport used by Mali’s air force. A resident living near the airport also reported gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.
Residents in other cities in Mali reported gunfire and explosions on Saturday morning, indicating a possible coordinated attack by armed groups.
A former mayor of Kidal told the AP by phone that gunmen entered the northeastern city of Kidal, capturing some neighborhoods and exchanging gunfire with the army. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety.
independent separatist movement has been been fighting for years To create an independent state in northern Mali. They once drove security forces from the area before a 2015 peace deal, paving the way for some former rebels to integrate into the Malian army.
Azad Liberation Front spokesman Mohamed Elmouloud Ramadan said on Facebook that his forces had taken control of several areas in Kidal and another northeastern town, Gao. The AP could not independently verify his claim.
A resident of Gao said the gunfire and explosions began early Saturday and could be heard until late morning.
“The doors and windows of my house are shaking due to the intensity of the explosions. I am very scared,” the resident told the AP by phone. They spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns about their safety. The resident said the firing came from the army camp and the airport, which are right next to each other.
A resident of the town of Kati near Bamako, Mali’s main military base, also said he was woken up by the sound of gunfire and explosions in the early morning.
In 2024, an al-Qaeda-linked group claimed attacks on Bamako’s airport and a military training camp in the capital, Killing countless people.
Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has long battled armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, a fight that has escalated over the past decade.
Following the military coup, junta groups in all three countries have turned from Western allies to Russia for help in combating Islamic militants.
But the security situation in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso is bad. condition worsened in recent times Analysts say there have been a record number of attacks by terrorists. Government forces have also been accused of killing civilians suspected of collaborating with terrorists.
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Associated Press writer Mark Banchereau in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.
