Armed groups launched a series of coordinated attacks across Mali on Saturday morning, striking the capital Bamako and several other cities. Explosions and heavy gunfire erupted near the main military base in Kati, outside Bamako, as well as near Modibo Keita International Airport, forcing its temporary closure.

The assaults began shortly before 6:00 GMT, with two loud blasts followed by sustained shooting near Kati, home to junta leader General Assimi Goïta's residence. Attackers also hit the house of Defense Minister General Sadio Camara in Kati, destroying it, though he emerged unharmed. Similar violence occurred in the northern cities of Kidal and Gao, central Sevare, and other areas, targeting barracks and strategic sites.

Mali's army described the perpetrators as "unidentified armed terrorist groups" and stated that soldiers were "engaged in eliminating the attackers." By late morning, the military announced the situation was "under control," with sweeping operations continuing. Russian-backed Africa Corps mercenaries fought alongside Malian forces in Bamako and other locations.

The Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed its fighters seized control of Kidal, including the governor's office, and parts of Gao. FLA spokesperson Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane said the group controlled most of Kidal, forcing the governor to seek refuge. Security sources indicated possible coordination with al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). No casualty figures have been confirmed.

The U.S. Embassy in Bamako issued a shelter-in-place advisory due to explosions and gunfire. The African Union, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and United States condemned the attacks, expressing solidarity with Mali.

Mali has grappled with jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State since 2012, alongside a Tuareg separatist rebellion. A military junta under Goïta has ruled since coups in 2020 and 2021, expelling French troops and the UN's MINUSMA mission while partnering with Russian mercenaries. Recent JNIM blockades disrupted fuel supplies to Bamako, exacerbating insecurity in the Sahel, the world's terrorism hotspot.