Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in a coordinated jihadist attack targeting the military stronghold of Kati, just outside the capital, Bamako.
According to Radio France Internationale, fighters linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) stormed Camara’s residence on Saturday using a suicide vehicle bomb, breaching one of the most heavily guarded military zones in the country.
The killing of Camara - an influential member of the ruling military junta and a central figure in Mali’s 2020 and 2021 coups, marks a significant escalation in the insurgency and raises serious questions about the regime’s grip on security.
Kati, located roughly 15 kilometres from Bamako, is not only a strategic military base but also the residence of interim president Assimi Goïta. Officials said Goïta was swiftly moved to a secure location during the assault and remains in control.
The attack on Kati was part of a broader wave of coordinated attacks across the country. Armed groups struck multiple targets in Bamako, as well as in the northern of Gao and Kidal and the central town of Sévaré, in what observers describe as one of the most sophisticated offensives in recent years.
Al Jazeera journalist Nicolas Haque noted that the scale and precision of the attacks suggest a high level of planning and coordination between jihadist and allied Tuareg factions. “This remains an ongoing operation more than 24 hours after it began,” he reported, citing residents who described continuous gunfire and explosions in Kidal.
Insurgents claimed responsibility for the calling them a decisive strike against the military-led government. They also asserted control over Kidal, a long-disputed city in northern Mali, though independent verification remains unclear.
The United Nations has condemned the violence, warning that the deteriorating situation in Mali reflects a broader security crisis unfolding across the Sahel. The UN called for stronger international cooperation to counter the spread of extremist groups exploiting weak state presence and local grievances.
Camara’s reported death is widely seen as a major setback for Mali’s armed forces. As one of the most powerful figures within the junta, he played a key role in shaping military strategy against insurgents and was regarded by some analysts as a potential successor within the leadership hierarchy.
The latest attack underscore a troubling reality: despite years of military rule and counterterrorism efforts, jihadist groups appear increasingly capable of striking at the very core of state power.
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