Mali's security crisis has entered a volatile new phase following a series of coordinated strikes. On Saturday, Azawad separatists in the north and the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group launched a joint offensive, evoking memories of the widespread chaos that gripped the country in 2012. The Operative Information Center-OMM, citing international media, reports that the Malian military claimed to have repelled the large-scale assault, stating that hundreds of terrorists were neutralized during the operations.
Despite official claims of success, the intensity of the clashes stretching from the capital, Bamako, to the northern city of Kidal has sparked serious international concern. In response to the deteriorating situation, the military junta has declared a three-day curfew in Bamako. Reports indicate that the high-profile targets included the office of Malian President Assimi Goita, the Ministry of Defense building, and Bamako International Airport. Tragically, recent reports suggest that Mali's Defense Minister lost his life during the shock offensive.
The current escalation mirrors the 2012 crisis when the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) initiated a struggle for independence. Today, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), representing the former MNLA line, is operating in tandem with JNIM, Al-Qaeda's Sahel branch. This alliance has also directed its rhetoric against Russia, criticizing Moscow's support for the Malian military leadership and demanding a reconsideration of the partnership. Following the withdrawal of Western forces, Russia has significantly increased its military presence in Mali, initially through the Wagner Group and subsequently via the "Africa Corps." Both the United States and Russia have issued strong condemnations of the attacks, as experts warn that the fusion of separatist guerrilla tactics with a vast jihadist network represents the most significant challenge to the junta's authority to date.
