Fresh coordinated attacks have struck Mali, with jihadists and Tuareg separatist fighters launching assaults on several towns and a prison facility in a major escalation of violence across the country.
According to Channels Television, citing AFP, the attacks began around 5:00 am on Saturday and targeted Gao, Anefis, Aguelhok, Sevare, and the prison complex in Kenieroba.
The latest wave of violence comes just over two months after similar attacks by the same armed groups against Mali’s ruling military junta. Those earlier offensives dealt a major blow to the government and reportedly led to the death of the country’s defence minister.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front, said several positions had fallen in Anefis, although fighting was still ongoing within the town.
A resident in Anefis told AFP that armed groups had entered the town, but Malian troops were continuing to resist. The military camp there had not yet fallen at the time of reporting.
Anefis and Aguelhok remain among the last areas where Mali’s army still maintains a presence in the Kidal region following heavy attacks in late April.
The strategic city of Kidal had already fallen to Azawad Liberation Front fighters during those earlier offensives, dealing a significant setback to the ruling junta.
In Gao, residents reported hearing gunfire and loud explosions near an army camp, raising fears of further clashes in the northern city.
In central Mali, explosions were also reported in Sevare. Security sources said several aircraft were seen flying over the area shortly after the blasts.
Meanwhile, the prison complex in Kenieroba, located near the capital Bamako, also came under attack. The facility houses jihadist suspects and other detainees.
One prisoner told AFP that heavy gunfire continued around the prison as inmates took cover.
The fresh attacks underline the worsening security crisis in Mali, where government forces continue to battle jihadist groups and separatist fighters across several regions.
