Explosion and gunfire don rock Mali capital, Bamako, as armed groups carry out coordinated attacks across di kontri. Di military tok for statement on Saturday say ‘fighting dey go on,’ adding ‘our defence and security forces dey currently engage for repelling di attackers.’
Witnesses tell news agency Reuters say dem hear explosion and gunfire around Kati, wey get major military base outside di capital. Soldiers don deploy to block roads for di area.
Dere also dey reports of attacks for Gao and Kidal for di north, and Sevare for central Mali, for wetin one analyst describe as di biggest jihadist attack for years.
Mali don suffer for years from jihadist insurgencies by groups wey dey affiliated with al-Qaeda and di Islamic State group, plus separatist movement for di kontri north.
Reports suggest di assault by di separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) – wey dey seek breakaway ethnic Tuareg state – primarily focus on northern cities, while di jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) stage simultaneous attacks on multiple locations across di kontri.
Mali military say dem dey fight unidentified ‘terrorist groups’ and di situation dey under control, but unconfirmed reports suggest fighting dey continue.
While some residents describe calm for most parts of di capital, dere dey ongoing reports of gunfire for some areas. Checkpoints don establish for roads wey dey lead to di airport and dem dey search vehicles, according to reports.
One resident, wey dey travel back to Bamako from Ethiopia, tell BBC say all flights into di city don cancel early on Saturday. E no clear yet weda di reported attacks don affect di airport.
Di UK Foreign Office advise against all travel to Mali following di attacks, adding say Bamako International Airport don temporarily close.
Ulf Laessing, head of di Sahel programme for di Konrad Adenauer Foundation for Mali, tell BBC say di incident appear to be di ‘largest coordinated jihadist attack on Mali for years.’
Di US State Department Africa bureau strongly condemn di attacks, adding: ‘We extend our deepest condolences to di victims, dem families, and all those affected, and we stand with di Malian people and government for di face of dis violence. Di US Embassy for dere tell citizens to shelter for place and avoid travel, citing explosions and gunfire around di airport and near Kati.’
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for di FLA, write for social media say im forces don take control of Kidal and dey expand dem presence for di centre of Gao. E post footage wey purport to show militants taking over a camp wey di Malian army and Russian mercenaries occupy for Kidal, plus military helicopter wey dem supposedly shoot down near Gao. Di BBC no fit verify these claims.
Di FLA don dey fight for years for di creation of di state of Azawad for northern Mali, a large portion wey dem get effective control over. Ramadane also urge neighbouring kontris Burkina Faso and Niger not to intervene.
Mali currently dey rule by a military junta led by Gen Assimi Goïta, wey first seize power for a coup for 2020, promising to restore security and push back armed groups. Di junta get popular support wen e take power, promising to deal with di long-running security crisis prompted by di Tuareg rebellion for di north, wey dem hijack by Islamist militants.
UN peacekeepers and French forces wey dem deploy to deal with di escalating insurgency leave after di junta take over, and di military government hire Russian mercenaries to help tackle di insecurity. However, di jihadist insurgency continue and large parts of di north and east of di kontri remain outside government control.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
