Armed groups with differing ideologies have launched coordinated attacks across Mali, exposing security vulnerabilities in the military-ruled country, analysts say, reports Todayinfo.
Since gaining independence from French rule in 1960, the West African nation has navigated cycles of political instability, punctuated by persistent attacks from armed groups, military coups and financial crises.
On Saturday, an al-Qaeda-linked group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for attacks on military sites across the country, including in the capital, Bamako. JNIM said it had “captured” the city of Kidal in the north in a coordinated operation with the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg-dominated rebel group.
On Sunday, a military source told Al Jazeera that Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara had been killed during the attacks. Experts believe the ability of armed groups to cover the entire country in one day indicates the government's weak capacity to ensure security.
“If they were able to cover almost the whole country in one day, it means there are security vulnerabilities in the system. They have also been able to reach the city of Kati, where the president and other important ministers live. That is the centre of power and them having reached this point through attacks means the government’s ability to secure the country is weak,” said Mathias Hounkpe, country director for Mali at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
JNIM is one of the most active armed groups in the region. It was formed in 2017 as a coalition between the Saharan branch of al-Qaeda and Malian armed groups. The group has about 10,000 fighters and is led by Iyad Ag Ghali, who founded Ansar Dine in 2012.
