Coordinated assaults on Mali's junta kill defence minister and trigger Russian withdrawal from Kidal
A car bomb attributed to Al Qaeda affiliates killed the defence minister in Bamako, while Tuareg rebels secured a deal allowing foreign mercenaries to leave their final stronghold.
General Sadio Camara, the defence minister of Mali's ruling junta, was killed in a car bomb attack near the capital, Bamako. The blast occurred at his residence in the garrison town of Kati, leaving the building largely destroyed. Camara and at least three family members were confirmed dead by military and government sources.
The attack was executed by a group affiliated with Al Qaeda, specifically linked to Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which coordinated the assault with Tuareg rebels. This collaboration represents a significant escalation, as the coordinated assaults across Mali on Saturday and Sunday constitute the worst violence since the junta seized power in 2020.
Simultaneously, Tuareg rebels announced an agreement permitting Russian Africa Corps forces to withdraw from the northern town of Kidal, leaving the city under rebel control. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) confirmed that an accord had been reached, allowing the Malian army and its Russian allies to leave their camp. Residents reported seeing a military convoy depart, with fighters from armed movements subsequently taking over the streets.
Kidal, a Tuareg stronghold, was retaken by the Malian army backed by Russian mercenaries in November 2023, ending more than a decade of rebel control. The Africa Corps, a paramilitary group under the direct control of the Russian defence ministry, largely took over operations from the Wagner Group following the death of its founder in 2023. This withdrawal marks a decisive shift in the Russian military footprint in the region.
Fresh fighting erupted in Kidal and Kati on Sunday, with residents reporting heavy gunfire, explosions, and aircraft activity. The Azawad Liberation Front also claims to have taken positions in the northern Gao region. While the government stated that the situation was under control and that material damage was limited, the atmosphere in Bamako remains jittery with access to military facilities blocked.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the violence and called for international support to address the threat of violent extremism in the Sahel. The attacks highlight the evolving capacity of the rebel coalition against Malian army positions in a nation ravaged by conflict and jihadist violence for over a decade.
